THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
'•^^ BLO/y
THOUGHTS
c5^ J^^^y
VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
BY IlEV. R. DONNELL,
OF THE CUMBERLAND PRESBVTERIAX CHURCH.
'■'rry all tbinga, hold fast that which is good." — Pkteh.
LOmSVILLE, KY.
Published, for the Board of ruhlioiuion,
BY REY. LEE ROY WOODS, PUBLISIIIXG AGENT.
1854.
♦•'^y*^^*, \fe
>i. -
^'.t
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851,
BY LEE ROY WOODS,
For the Boaicl of Publication, of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church,
la the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the
District of Kentucky.
Printed ud Stereotyped by
MOBTOX * ORiewOLD, LODISVILLE, KT.
d 7 / o
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Preface to First Edition, 3
Preface to Third Edition, 5
On tiie Character of God, - 9
On the Trinity, I - * - f'- • - -. - - - 12
On the Creation tf Man, *■ -.-.-. - - - - 14
On the Government of God, 15
On the Law of God, 16
On tlie Fall of Man, 20
On the Character of the Mediator, 21
On the Extent of tlic Atonement. - 22
On the Operation of tlie Hoh- Spirit, 24
On the Will of Man, - ' 27
On Man's Authority to Believe on (.'hri.jt, .... 30
On Experimental Reliprion, 34
On Faith and Regeneration, 3S
Cardinal Poims, 43
On Election, - - 50
rerscvcrerance of the Saints, 53
I'rec Moral Agency^ 90
Predestination and Foreknowledge, or Knowlcd^ie and Decree, 98
The Personalty and Office of the Holy Spirit, .... lOl
A Synopsis cf the Bible Doctrines in their Order, - - - 107
On Sanctiiication, Ill
On Original Sin, 116
On the RcsuiTCCtion, .... ... 12I
On Baptism, 125
The Sabbath, 130
On Missions, 134
The Church want* more Ministers of the liiglit Stamp, - - 130
The Church wants more Mothers, --.... 143
The Church wants more Sisters, ...... 146
Letter on CInirch Docti-ir.ru, ----..- 149
The Interests of the Church, 154
Heligiou of the BibL', - - - 156
44 ?95i
iy T A 15 L ]•: O If C <> N T E NTS.
Comiffciit oil Jiidt; Ninth, ' - - - - ' - - • 158
Devils casting out Devils, - - - - - - • 161
A Short Sermon from a Long Text, - - ■ - - 165
Confession of Faitli, ..------ 169
Efficiency in the Clinrch, 1'2
A View of the Trcscnt and the Past, 175
Comment on 1 Peter iv, 12, - - - - - - - 1"9
Theological Class at Lebanon, Tennessee, - - - - 184
He was a Burning and a Shining Light, .... 187
On Free Communion, - 188
Why do wc Sir Still ? 189
Sin and Holiness, - - - - 191
When may we Know an Enemy or Friend*?' - ^ - - - 192
Who is in the Fault ? - - - - ' - : - - 195
On Building Churches, - 196
Church Business, .... ..... 193
Claims of tlie DilFcrent Denominations, - - - 200
Persecution has Contributed to tlie Spread of the Gospel, - 203
Be Patient in Tribulation, ... ... 207
Revivals— General Assembly, - - ... 210
Ciiristian Fellowship, - - - . ... 213
APPENDIX.
Brief Historical Sketch of the Cumberland Presbyterian Chui ?h, 213
/
/
PEEFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
In a country of equal rights, it is the privilege of every
one to think freely, investigate fairly, and explain in the
most simple, plain and candid manner. Truth acknowledges
no dependence on sophistry for success. It relies alone
upon fair argument, and, when properly understood,
appears well even in a homely dress.
It is the duty of every branch of the Church, when cir-
cumstances require it, to give her view of what the Bible
teaches. Concealment, double-dealing and mental reser-
vations, in such cases, should always be carefully avoided.
The Cumberland Presbyterians have adopted a system
of doctrines, in the belief and practice of which they are,
perhaps, as firm and uniform as any other denomination.
While they claim the privilege of believing that this system
is fully sustained by the word of God, they are very far
from arrogating to themselves infallibility in interpret-
ing the Holy Scriptures. They have ever maintained, that
a diflference in subordinate points of doctrine, ought not to
constitute separate communions, or destroy the unity of
the church of Christ.
Although they have adopted and published to the world,
a Confession of Faith, and a system of Church Govern-
ment, yet they have probably been remiss in not giving
Vi r R E F A r F, .
hese formularies a more general circulation. In this they
re entirely singular. Other branches of the Church exer-
c. 3e a laudible diligence inputting the volume containing
iVsir peculiarities in the hand of every individual within
(•oil- reach. They thereby manifest not only sincerity in
i ) lir belief, but a wish to disseminate Avhat they deem
< (r:ect principles.
The Cumberland Presbyterians have heretofore, mani-
f b-uod but little interest in "writing and publishing arguments
J ox the purpose of defending the doctrines of their Church.
Their fields of operation have been large and white unto
harvest and have required the active and constant labors
of all their preachers. This, in connection with a desire to
fraternize with all religious denominations, has been, per-
haps, of some disadvantage to them. It is still hoped,
however, that they will forever banish that little sectarian
bigotry that has on some occasions emanated from the
presses of" other branches of the Church.
The following thoughts and historical sketch have been
elicited by frequent applications from abroad, for informa-
tion concerning the doctrines and origin of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, of which the writer has the honor of
being a member. He hopes they will not infringe upon
that spirit of harmojiy and union which he wishes at all
times to prevail among evangelical denominations.
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
Several years ago the author consented to the pubhcar
tion of a pamphlet entitled " Miscellaneous Thoughts on
several subjects of Divinity, so much controverted in the
World." This little work, so far as appeal's, met with the
general approbation of the Church of which ho is a
member and minister.
Long has he been urged by many of his brethren
to prepare and publish to the world an enlarged edi-
tion of this production. With these urgent solicitations,
he has ever felt inclined to comply. But his nume-
rous and pressing calls, have hitherto prevented him.
Being one of the oldest ministers of his denomination,
the care for all the Churches devolved to some extent
upon his mind. His presence was loudly and im-
periously called for in many parts of the Church,
which necessarily enlarged the field of his ministerial
operations, as well as multiplied his many and arduous
duties. Necessarily, much of his time and labors
have been spent from home.
During the period in which he has endeavored to
meet these numerous and pressing calls, he has from
time to time, as circumstances might suggest to his
mind, snatched a few hurried moments from other en-
gagements, to throw a few other miscellaneous thoughts
together for the columns of the " Banner of Peace,"
and other religious periodicals of the Church. Having
at length, become advanced in lir\ and well worn in.
VUl PREFACE.
the Service of the Church, tiiid in the cause of his
Divine Master, he has, of necessity, become somewhat
more local.
To meet the^^prcsent demands of the Church, and
to enable him >Yith more convenience hereafter to re-
vise and enlarge his little Book, the author has re-
solved to collect from the files of his religious papers,
the short pieces written by him from time to time,
and add these to Miscellaneous Thoughts, and thus
enlarge his Miscellaneous Book, and send it out to a
Miscellaneous Public. Should life be continued a few
years, he fondly hopes to have it in his power to
enlarge this volume ; but should he be removed from
the Church below before that time, he desires that some
of his surviving brethren, more capable than he now
feels himself to be, will take up this little volume
and enlarge, extend and perpetuate these very miscel-
laneous thoughts — they are thoughts upon the Bible — and,
if according to that book, they are thoughts of truth. The
only desire of the author, in sending these thoughts
to the world, is, that they may inspire those under
whose observation they may happen to fall, with thoughts
of truth — that thought may thus inspire thought, and
the truth be perpetuated in the Church, and in the
world. When the general mass of mind shall all
think according to the truth, then will all be free
from error and sin, and be sanctified and happy.
The Author.
Athens, Ala., May 3, 1851
MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS,
&c.
ON THE CHARACTER OF GOD.
" God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and un-
changeable in his wisdom, power, holiness, justice^
goodness, and truth," possessing, in himself, the
rule and power of his own actions.
There are two ideas concerning the nature and
actions of Deity, both of which have been carried
to extremes. One is, that holiness is not essential
to his existence ; that it is not the source of the
motives of his volitions and actions at all; but that'
it depends entirely on his sovereign will. The
other idea is, that God is essentially holy ; in
which consists the essence of the moral la?w,
which, when revealed, became the rule of action
to every moral subject ; yet, his knowledge and
power, with regard to sovereign influence, and the
certainty of action, are abridged. It maintains
the certainty of rule and freedom of action, but
If^aves him without the knowledge and control of
his sul)jects.
10 t N r n E
The following vn w of this suhject seems, to me,
to accord hest with Scripture and reason : — God is
essentially holy, without which he could not exist;
for quality belongs both to spirit and matter.
Matter cannot exist without the quality of gravi-
tation ; spirit cannot exist without a quality
inclining it either to good or evil: therefore,
you see that God must be holy. This is the
lustre and glory of his character, the rule of all
his volitions and actions, from which he can
never deviate. All that he does is holy, not
because he possesses absolute freedom of wil!>
but because liis will always acts according to his
own nature. If the holiness of God depended
on his agency or volition, it follows, of course,
that he could not be holy until he desired to
be so ; or, in other words, decreed what holiness
sft^uld be. Then, here would be a volition
without holiness, and, also, without motive. If
there be no principle of rectitude in the Divine
Being, nothing can be done right; if nothing can
be done right, there can be no glory. But, God
is, holy, and whatever consists with holiness, he
can do; and whatever will contribute most to
his glory, He wl/l do.
As holiness is the principle, out of which all
the motives and volitions of Deity spring, it is
evident that he never could have decreed sin,
without going out of himself for a motive; and
if he were to go out of himself for a motive, he
CHARACTER OF GOD 1]
would cease to be a selt'-sufiicient and perfect
God. If holiness cannot present sin as a motive,
God never could choose sin; if he could not
make it his choice, he could not bring it to pass
by his agency.
Infinite knowledge is as essential to the
existence of God as consummate holiness. While
one renders every thing that he does correct, the
other makes all things certain that transpire in
the universe.
Some have thought, that God's knowledge of
events rested solely on his decrees ; that he
could not know that any thing would take place
but for a previous determination to bring it to
pass. This hypothesis either proves that God
is the author of sin, or that he knows nothing
of its existence ; both of which would be contrary
to divine revelation. It is indispensable that an
intelligent being should know all that he does,
hut it is not necessary for him to do all that he
knows. If God can know any thing without
first decreeing it, he can know many things.
Hence, I conclude, that many events have and
do transpire, which, though known -unto God,
were never predestinated by him. I think the
following is a correct view of this subject. All
things are known unto God, yet he knows
some things as taking place on or by his own
agency, others on the principle of necessity, and
others on the principle of \\y.u\9. agency.
12 O N T M K T R I .\ I T Y.
Knowledge must always go before volition
a choice without understanding, is a blind choice,
and the action is not that of an intelligent
beiui£.
ON THE TRINITY.
1. There is one God. There is but one.
There can be but one. But this one God is often
spoken of in the Old Testament by means of
the plural number, " Let us make man, &c."
The New Testament reveals how many persons
there are, and likewise their different names, viz.,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The Unity of
God is taught in the Bible. The Trinity and
equality of God are taught in the Bible. The
Trinity and inequality of God are taught in the
Bible.
2. There are certain peculiarities which con-
stitute the Unity of God ; certain peculiarities
which constitute the Trinity and equality of God;
and certain peculiarities which constitute the
Trinity and inequality of God.
3. Infinite perfection constitutes the Unity of
God. There is but one Infinity. There can be
but one. There are three persons, subsistences,
or agents, that possess infinite perfection and are
one God. Power to will and work constitutes
ON r H E T ft I N I T Y. 13
an agent. The Father has power to will and
work, the Son has power to wall and work ;
and the Holy Spirit has power to will and work;
therefore they are all agents. They are not one
agent, but one God, possessing infinite perfection.
They are, distinctly, objects of worship. One is
not older or greater than another.
But there is a sense, in which they are three,
and not equal. In the plan ot man's redemption,
one was appointed to overlook, and a name
given him appropriate to his office. He is called
the Father. Another to obey and suffer. He
is called the Son. Another to apply the
redemption to man, by converting and sanctifying
him. He is called the Holy Ghost; not because
he is more holy than the Father and the Son, but
because his office is to make men holy.
But the sceptic exclaims, I cannot understand .
this TRINITY in UNITY. I auswcr, your under-
standing was never intended to be the starfdard
of truth. There are many truths entirely above
your comprehension. All that you have to do, or
can do, is, to determine whether it would be more
reasonable to receive or reject them. Did you
ever know a circle three feet in circumference,
inclose one of ten feet I Injinite fulness dwells in
Christ. If he had a beginning in all his natures,
he must be finite : then, here would be finite,
containing infinite ! Whether the doctrine of the
Trinity be comprehensible or not, it is a matter
14 () N T H K C 11 K A T I O .N OF MAN.
of Di\'me revelation, and demands our faith But
am I told iliat mystery is inconsistent with the
idea of a revelation from God 1 This I deny. A
revelation is a developement of facts, and is not at
all affected, though the mode by which the facts
exist, be withheld. The Trinity is a fact revealed,
and, notwithstanding the mode of the existence
of this fact is not disclosed, its claims upon our
credulity cannot be denied, without becoming
downright Atheists; for, a God existing in one
person, is as incomprehensible as a God in three
persons.
It is something remarkable, that, in every age,
where the unity of God, in opposition to the
TRINITY, has been taught, infidels express great
friendship for the system. This must be owing to
the fact, that there is something in this system
agreeable to the carnal heart, and contrary to
Divine revelation.
ON THE CREATION OF MAN.
Man was created with wisdom to knoiv, and
power to do, all things which came within the
capacity of created free agency. This alone
could constitute him an accountable beins:. He,
ot course, possessed determining power. To say
that man is a free agent, and yet hold that God
O N T 11 K G OVER N M E N T OF G O D. 15
deteruiliies his will by physical power, is, to ine, a
palpable contradiction. The light and motive
system, which is, that the will of man is deter-
mined by an ove?- halcmce of motive, is equally
absurd ; for, in this case, the motive would contain
the physical power. I, therefore, contend, that the
agency of man, in his primitive state, consisted in
an ability to decide betAveen two opposite motives,
neither of which exerted any physical force on his
will.
He w^as, also, either holy, or unholy, in nature :
for we have already shown, that every intelligent
being must have a disjJosing qualify. That this
quality in man was holy, is evident from the
consideration, that nothing of a contrary character
can proceed from a Holy God.
ON THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD.
The government of God is a holy and ivise
polity, including sovereignty, necessity, and free
agency in his subjects. I am persuaded, it would
be impossible to conceive of a well-organized
government, without these three particulars. A
government founded altogether on sovereignty is
despotic, and precludes the necessity of laws, and
destroys the freedom of its subjects. The design
of laws, is, that the subjects may shape their
16 ON THE LAW OF GOD.
characters by iliem. But, in a government
possessing nothing but sovereignty, neither law
nor subjects can have any thing to do in forming
characters. Sovereignty, alone, does this. Then,
why are laws necessary, and on what principle
can subjects, in this case, either be accountable
or punishable? It is neither an action nor the
consequences of an action, abstractly considered,
that renders the subject of it guilty ; but the
exercise o^ free agency^ in the perpetration of that
action. Punishment then becomes necessary,
and this prepares the way for the exercise of
sovereignty. Thus, you see, how these three
particulars harmonize in a well-organized govern-
ment.
ON THE LAW OF GOD.
There is a universal and immutable law,
generally called moral, which is not dependent
on sovereign power for its existence, but grows
out of the eternal reason of things, and regards
all circumstances of intelligent beings, and enjoins
the duties which they owe to God and each
other. Without such a universal standard of ri^ht
and wrong, there could be no distinction between
virtue and vice.
ON THK LAW O F G O II . 17
This law is the great platform on which heaven
itself is huilf, and on which Adam was placed in
his state of innocence: but, while on trial, he fell
from this platform, and can never return to it
again, by any efforts of his own. If he is ever
brought up to the righteousness and holy n&ture
of tlie law, it must be by the aid of another. For
this purpose, the gospel scheme has been irtro-
duced, which serves as a ladder, on which fallen
man may not only return to that state of holiness
and happiness possessed by Adam before he fell,
but to that confirmed state which he would have
enjoyed, had he sustained his trial. But the
gospel is not designed to destroy the law, any more
than the making of a ladder to reach a platform, is
designed to destroy that platform.
If a sinner would ascend to this desirable plat-
form, he must climb the gospel ladder, bv
repentance and faith.
Every one must conform to this law that
would be happy; and it is not material how many
rational beings there are, nor where they reside,
nor how many peculiarities attend them, if they
be conformed to it, they will be happy ; for they
all harmonize: and, without a universal and
immutable law, or standard of moral rectitude,
tliey would not, and could not harmonize. This
is evident, even from the law of matter. If, for
instance, one })article of matter be under a
different law from another, how could they
18 ON T II R LAW O ^• fJOD.
Ijannonizc ( If Mercury were under a clifTerent
law from Venus, or the Earth, how could there
be liarmony in the solar system? There i-^
harmony in the solar system ; therefore, there is
an immutable and universal law of matter: and
it is by the same law, that the lofty pine falls,
that the atumnal leaf drops to the ground. And so
we may suppose, not only of a great number
of bodies of matter, but of a great number of
peculiar systems of matter; yet, as far as matter
extends, the immutable law by which it is
governed, is founded ; hence, there is general
harmony throughout the natural world. Just so
in art: if you wish to build an edifice, it is not
important where you prepare the materials, pro-
vided you make every part according to an
immutable rule: when put together, each joint
will fit, and all will harmonize. But, if you were
to make one part according to one rule, and
another part according to another rule, your
building would neither possess wisdom, strength,
nor beauty.
The same will apply to civil matters. Let the
law of virtue be immutable, and millions of rational
beings be governed by it, and general harmonv
will prevail; but if they were to be governed
by laws differing in principle from each other,
it is evident a harmonious system could not be
formed. For example: life and liberty are the
natural rights of all men. On this principle the
ox THE LAW OF GOD. 19
Constitution of the thirteen United States was
adopted ; yet eacli State was tolerated to have a
constitution of its own, adapted to its local
circumstances, but could not introduce a single
article contrary to the principles of the general
Constitution. This would have destroyed the
harmony of the several States.
In ecclesiastical affairs, harmony is also based
upon certain immutable principles. Love to God
and each other, should constitute the grand princi-
ples of our Church government. Embracing these
principles of government, tiie Church may be
divided into several territories, and each one
introduce a discipline adapted to its own peculiar
situation ; yet, if the grand principles (love to God
and each other) be preserved, all can unite and
form one harmonious body. But, wherever these
immutable principles are touched by a creed or
discipline, that denomination, holding such, can
never be received into the union by the Great
Head of the Church.
Then, my brethren, let us be careful not to
introduce such rules in our Churches, as would
destroy love to the brethren, and produce distrac-
tion in the body of Christ. We are all one
in Christ Jesus : let us, therefore, keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
20 O N T II K F A I- L OF MAN
ON THE FALL OF MAN.
Man, though made upright, was not confirmed.
To create an intelligent being in a confirmed state,
would destroy his agency ; but to create him pure
and free, and give him a probation, in which his
fidelity can be tested — if he prove faithful, lie can,
then, be confirmed according to character formed
during the trial. The condition on which man was
to be confirmed, was obedience to a positive com-
mand, founded on the moral law. His agency, in this
state of trial, was tested in a very simple manner.
God commanded him not to eat of the fruit of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and
enforced the prohibition by the threatening of
death to himself and posterity ; but promised life
in case of obedience.
That Adam might have a view of the state in
which he was placed, and, also, of that which was
promised him, God placed two trees before him,
viz., the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
which represented that the condition in which he
was then placed admitted of his acting so as
to know good and evil ; and the tree of life, repre-
senting, that if he obeyed the positive precept, he
should be confirmed in a slate of complete
ha]>piness.
C H A R A C T E R O F T U tZ MEDIA T OR. 21
After man had violated tlie positive command,
God placed a cherubim, with a flaming sword,
which turned every way, to guard the tree of hfe,
lest man should put forth liis hand and eat, and
live for ever, or be confirmed in a state of sin and
misery.
ON THE CHARACTER OF THE
MEDIATOR.
Jesus Christ possesses three simple distinct
natures, viz., Supreme divinity, spirit, and matter.
These three natures, though united in one person,
are not amalgamated. ]\Ian has two simple natures:
spirit, and matter. Spirit can suffer, but cannot
die; matter can both suffer and die. In addition
to these two natures, Jesus Christ has divine nature,
which can neither suffer nor die. These three,
constitute him a complete Mediator for man. Like
man, for wdiose benefit he came into our world, he
had a nature that could suffer and die; a nature
that could suffer, but could not die; and, as God,
he had a nature that could neither suffer nor die.
This nature gave worth, or virtue, to the obedience
and sulTerings of his soul and body: so that a tem-
porary sulTering, on his j)art, was of more value, in
the eye of the law, than eternal suffering, on our
part, could have been. The soul and body being
. $
22 ONT HE EXTENT
united to the divine nature, in person, it was
impossible for the one always to suffer, or for
the other to remain under the power of death.
He, therefore, as our Mediator, took away the
sting of death, and the power of the grave, and
brought life and innnortality to light.
Man's death is a doctrine founded on the law:
his resurrection is a doctrine founded on the
Gospel: — For as in Adam, all died, even so, in
Christ, shall all be made alive. As Christ arose
for all men, he must have died for all; for the
resurrection of all, is founded on his rising for all;
and his rising for all, is founded on his having died
for all: for he could not rise for any for whom he
did not die.
ON THE EXTENT OF THE
ATONEMENT.
All agree, that Jesus Christ died for sinnei's;
but whether he died only for a part, or the whole
of mankind, we differ. Those who contend, that
Christ only died for a part of the human family,
maintain, that that part was elected, from eternity,
to everlasting life, and that the rest of mankind
were fore-ordained to everlasting death. Others
believe, that the death of Christ was a govern-
mental thing, intended, merely, to restore the
V ■ .
OF THE ATONEMENT. 23
honors of tlie !:i\v, by which, all legal barriers
have been removed, and that God may, upon the
principles of justice, save all the human family;
yet, lie only designs to save a part of mankind,
whose hearts he changes by a sovereign act,
without considering unbelief as a legal barrier,
or sufficient to deprive the sinner of the blessing
of regeneration.
On this subject, / will also give my opinion. I
beheve, that Jesus Christ was chosen as the second
head, and representative for all that were involved
by the first Adam ; that all the guilty, depraved
sons and daughters of the first representative, were
chosen i?i the second, not first to a state of glory,
but to a state of trial. If they, during this state
of probaiion, obtain a freedom from guilt, and a
right to life eternal, then they are appointed to a
state of glory. All mankind, by virtue of the
atonement, have a personal opportunity of becom-
ing confirmed for a state of happiness.
The Gospel is proposed to us, as a covenant, in
which we are made a party. We now have the
terms of this covenant under consideration. But
the Gospel would be vague, if no time was specified,
in which these terms must be complied with. It is
necessary for the will of man to determine, while
the condition of this covenant is before him, to
be saved by ihe second Adam. So soon as this
determination takes place, he is justified — entitled
to heaven : adopted into the heavenly family; and
-^
24 O I' K It A T I () N {> P THE S P I II I T .
sealed to the day of redemption On the oilier
iiand, tiie sinner that determines to reject Christ,
after having had a fair opportunity of embracing
the benefits of his death, is also sealed to ever-
lasting misery.
ON THE OPERATION OF THE HOLY
SPIIUT.
Alt, that I will now say on this subject, may be
resolved into three parts:
1st. Tlie necessity of divine agency.
2nd. On what divine injiuence is founded.
3rd. The extent of this influence.
There is a necessity for divine agency in the
world, not only to reveal the plan of salvation, and
establish, by prophecy and miracles, that plan; but
to (juirken the soul, by giving the true spiritual
meaning of the system of salvation. Paul was
alive without the law once, hut when the command-
ment came, sin revived, and he died. He had been
instructed in the letter of the commandment, but
did not understand the spiritual meaning thereof.
It was this spiritual meaning that he refers to
which came by the agency of the Holy Spirit,
who dictated the commandment, and has not only
a ri^ht to dictate, but, also, to explain his own
doctrine.
OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. 26
If man were only guilty, a simple declaration
of the fact would be sufficient; l>ut he is depraved
also, by wliich, I understand, the head sick, and
heart faint. His heart is not only opposed to the
plan by which he is to be saved, but his under-
standing is dark, and he is ignorant of that plan-
He, therefore, not only needs instruction, but
quickening; for, no man can say, that Jesus is
the Lord, hut by the Holy Ghost: without holiness,
no man shall see the Lord: and it belongs to his
office to make men holy. There is, therefore, a
necessity for divine influence on our hearts, in
order to salvation; and what is necessary for the
world, is necessary for every individual.
But, secondly: On what is divine influence
founded? Some say, on the revealed will, or
Word of God ; and the reason why the Spirit
operates, is because men have that revelation;
and his influence vs only felt by those who have
the Bible; and, beyond the extent of the letter,
tliere is no Spirit. But, I think, the only reason
why the Spirit operates on the world, is because
an atonement has been ?}iade for the world by
the death of Christ. And, so far are his operations
from being founded on the revelation, that, the
revelation is founded on his oj^eration. There
was a Spirit before rliere was a Bible, or a
Preacher, or a Church; and the Bible, th*s
Preacher, and the Church, are the effects of his
oiJcraiti^m. He inspired the mon who wrote tiao
20 OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT.
Bible; he calls the men who preach; convinces
the sinner; and seals the believer to the &<\y of
conipieie redemption.
Tliirdlj: As to the extent of divine operation,
some, wiio maintain the agency of the Spirit, seem
to limit his operations to those, and those only,
who have the Bible, and other means of grace.
They measure the extent of divine influence l)y
the extent of the circulation of the written word.
But, I think, we ought only to limit the Spirit's
operation by the atonement. If, then, Christ
tasted death for every man, and the atonement
is 7nade for the xcorJd, the world is the field of
divine operation. 1 regard the written word, and
all the means of grace, as excellent facilities of
spiritual and moral instruction; yet, they only
answer a similar purpose to that of a uselui
apparatus in an institution of learning, in which
the teacher's presence is still necessary, and his
agency important; and, although his books may
answer a valuable purpose, yet, he can learn a
student without them.
How many iiearts were converted before there
was a Bible \ It will not do to say that men
only had the spirit of prophecy; they, also, must
have had the spirit of conviction, to lead them to
a knowledge of salvation. But, suppose we limit
the spirit to the written word, or a knowledge of
the written word, then, all infants, dying in infancy,
as well as all idiots, are cut off fioui salvation.
im« 4i*Ki 4^^^M^
ON THE \V T L L OF MAN. 27
There is a beauty in the Trinity, and the most
perfect unison of office, in our salvation. The
Father loved the world — the Son died for the
world — and, the Spirit convinces the world. The
office of the Spirit, is founded on the office of the
Son; and the offiice of the Son, is founded on the
offiice of the Father. The Father loved all, the
Son atoned for all, and the Spirit strives ivith all;
and, to tacihtaie liis work, he dictated the Bible —
and now calls men to preach the Gospel, convinces
the sinner, and sanctifies the believer. Oh, may
the Spirit be poured out from on high, and the
wilderness become a fruitful field, and the king-
doms of thi^ world become the kingdoms of our
Lord and of his Christ.
ON THE WILL OF MAN.
That man is accountable for his actions — that
an accountable being must he free — and that a free
agent must possess determining power somewhere,
are ideas generally believed by Christians; but they
dilTer very widely with regard to the origin of this
power. Some think that man, though rational, is
entirely incapable of volition or action, without the
innnediate a^^encv of God. notwithstanding motives
fiom Heaven, Earth, and Hell, may be present.
H VH% Wlk H€l^
^ O N T II K ^V I L L OF MAN.
Olliers believe iliar he fornis all his voHtions in
view (A motives, witliout immediate agency, and
tliat ihe mind is preponderated hy an over-halance
of motive. Others, again, think, that the will is
not determined by the immediate ageney of G».d,
nor yet by an over-balance of motive; but iliat
man, though fallen, lias power to determine riglit
and wrong, \Niihont divine influence. They also
deny tlie doctrine of the Trinity, and operations
of the Holy Spirit; while others, although they
admit the doctrine of the Trinity, the operations
of the Spirit, and the influence of motive, to a
certain extent, yet they contend, that the will is
not determined by the immediate agency of God,
nor by an over-balance of motive, and that man,
in liis fallen state, has no depraved self-deter mining
power to do good; that without something to
counteract iiis depraved nature, it would constantly
determine jiis will to evil; and although he would
choose sin freely, yet he would choose it necessa-
rily, for he could choose nothing else. But they
iiold, that by the enlightening influence of the
Holy Ghost, man's will is untrammelled, and
restored to the privilege of choosing Heaven, as
well as Hell. Hence, they think that lie can do,
under the Gos[)el, what he could not have done
without it, and what he cannot do, when the
influence of the Spirit shall be withdrawn from
him. This last view of the will, I think, is
correct, antl it gives God all the glory of niaus
ON THE WILL OF MAN. 29
salvation, and lays the guilt of damnation at
every sinner's door.
But if it be said, that man, by beinir placed
under a dispensation of mercy, and receivinij the
liiilit and influence of the Spirit of God, cannot
determine either good or evil, without the sovereign
and immediate agency of God, then. Divirte agency
must lie at the bottom of every volition and action
of man, wliether good or bad. This doctrine
would present man as a mere instrument, and God
the principal agent in all iiis actions, and must
receive the praise or blame of all that is done.
Indeed, upon this plan, I cannot see how sin could
exist at all; for, if it be by the agency of God that
man sins, he must decree all the actions of man;
and if he both decree, and bring to pass, all that
man does, by his own immediate agency^ all that is
done, must be riijlit; for God can neither decree
nor execute that which is wrons;. Is not this the
foundation of TJniversalism, and many other isms
so destructive in the world \
To hang every volition on the power of motive,
alone, may conceal, but can never remove the
difficnltv just noticed. "^I'rue, this scheme presents
the will as choosing freelv, but it also chooses
necessarily; for, in whatever end of the scale you
place the greatest weijiht, that end, of course, will
fall; and it may fall freely, too: yet, if it cannot
turn the other way, it falls necessarily. One penny-
weight in the other end of the scale, would cause
30 ON man's authority
it to fall, and tlie first one to rise. So you see, that,
to govern the will of man hy an over balance of
motive, as effectualiy destroys his accoiintahility as
to govern it hy immediate agency.
The doctrine that fallen man. unaided hy divine
influence, can choose salvation, is also ahsurd. It
rohs God of all the glory of man's redemption, and
is entirely inconsistent with the Bihie.
The truth, then, seems to he this: Fallen man
can, upon the Gospel plan, choose life or death,
blessing or cursing. This is ahundantly evident
from the word of God : *• Choose you this day
wkoffi ye will serve;' Josh. xxiv. \b. '"Ye will
not come to me that ye might have life ;" John
V. 40. " Whosoever will, let him take the water
of \iiQ freely;" Rev. xxii. 17.
ON MAN'S AUTHORITY TO BELIEVE
IN CHRIST.
Faith in Christ, is composed of two parts:
assent and consent to he saved on Gospel terms.
But is every sinner authorized to do this? I
answer, yes: every sinner to whom the Gospel
is preached, lias sufficient authoritv to helieve that
Christ died for him, and, therefore, is at liherty to
believe in liim.
TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST. 31
1. Every sinner lias negative testimony to
believe, that Christ died for him. " Say unto
thein, As I live, sailh the Lord God, I have no
pleasure in the death of the icicked ;" Ezek. xxxiii.
11. " The Lord is not slack concerning his pronnse
as some men count slackness, hut is long suffering
to vs ward, not tcilling that any should perish ;"
2 Pet. iii. 9. But negative testimonv is not
snfficicnt to induce a sinner to helieve that God
is willing to save him. Had God sent the whole
human t'amily to hell, without providing salvation
for any, if would have been no more than the
infliction of a just punishment; yet, he would have
liad no pleasure in their death ; therefore, a sinner
must have positive, as well as negative testimony,
before he can believe in Christ. This kind of
testimony is also to be found in the Bible. "■For
God so loved the twrld, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, hut have everlasting life;"
John iii. J 6. " WJto will have all men to he saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth ;"
1 Tim. ii. 4.
Before a njinister of the Gospel can assure any
sinner that Christ died for hi)?i, and call on him
to helieve, he must liave authoritv to sav, that he
died for every sinner. Without such authority*,
lie cannot urge one sinner to believe in Christ,
without acting presumptuously. Nor has any
sinner a right, without this knowledge, to believe
03 ON ftl A ^ ' S A U T H O Fl 1 r Y ,
in Christ : in so doing, lie would also act pre-
suuiptuousiy. Therefore, a preacher must have
evidence to believe that Christ died lor all men,
before he can offer salvation to any ; and a sinner
niiist have evidence also to believe, that Christ
tasted death for every man, before he can say he
died for him. The Bible contains the names ot"
no particular individuals for whom Christ died.
God makes no private communication to either
preacher or sinner, on this subject: Therefore,
it appears clear, that if God, the Father, only
chose to save a part of mankind ; and God, the
Son, only died for that part; that neither the
elect nor non-elect can believe in Christ. It
would certainly be presumption for the non-elect
to believe that God was willing to save them;
it would be equally so, for the elect to believe,
without knowing that they were elected, and
that Christ died for them. But how are they
to know this ? Their names are not specified
in the Bible; and to believe without the Bible,
would be to believe without autliority ; and to
believe without authority, would be acting pre-
sumptuously.
Suppose, for example, twenty men were in a
state of starvation, and I were to make provision
for one-half of them, and send a message to inform
them of it, without mentioning any names; would
he be authorized to say to any one of this twenty,
that he was invited. Surely not: nor could any
TO BELIEVE l.\ CHRIST. 33
one of the twenty, upon liearing this message,
beheve that he was interested in the provision.
But, if I provide for the whole number, and send
a ir.essenger to apprize them of it, he is then
authorized to invite all, and every one of the
twenty can believe that the provision is for him,
u iihout acting presumptuously. Therefore, if the
Gospel, in all its parts, be not for all, but only for
a part of the human family, can a preacher in truth
say, that it is for any individual sinner] What
would be more presumptuous, than for him to
approach a sinner and inform him, that God had
provided salvation for a part of Adam's race, and
that he was one of that number. And it would
be equally inconsistent for any sinner to conclude,
that because .God designs to save a part, therefore,
he designs to save him. Thus, you see, that if
Christ has not died intentionally ^ox 'a\\ men, no
preacher has a right to invite any sinner to the
Saviour; nor has any sinner a right to believe in
hiuK
But the fallen family of Adam have a more sure
word of prophecy, where unto they would do well
to take heed, as unto a light that shiueth in a dark
place. They have general and particular testi-
niony, as well as negative and positive, that Ciirist
died intentionally to save them all. Ii is considered <
a sound maxim in mathematics, tiiat the whole is
equal to all its parts, and that all the parts are
equal to the whole. John ini'orms us, that Christ
34 ON EXPERIMENTAL RELIGION.
is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours
on/y, bat also for the sins of the whole world; and
Paul tells us, that he tasted death for evekv man.
Therefore, if the provision in the Gospel be for
Ai.L, and every individual, of the iiuinan fainilv,
then any and every sinner has authority to believe
in Christ; and every minister of Jesus is at liberty,
nay, it is his duty, to offer salvation to every sinner,
and to urge him to accept of it. In doing so, he
is in no danger of transcending his authority: "Go
ye into all the world, and preach my Gospel to
every creature." Every part of the gi-eat whole,
can, and ought to believe; and he that helieveth
not, shall be damned.
ON EXPERIMENTAL RELIGION.
Man is depraved in heart, and sinful in conduct,
and, of course, is an enemy to God, both by
nature and practice. In conversion, he becomes
reconciled to the character, and conformed to the
government of God. This change is wrought by
dl\ine agency, though not without the concurrence
of man's agency. The sinner cannot be saved
without God, and God will not save the sinner
without his consent.
Regeneration constitutes one link of the beau-
tiful chain in the Gospel plan of salvation.
ON EXPERIMENTAL RELIGION. 35
1. God loved the world. 2. Tiie world was
elected, in Christ, to a day of grace. 3. Christ
made an atonement for the world. 4. Tiie Spirit
reproves the world. 5. Tlie operations of the
Spirit prepare the way for conviction. 6. Con-
viction prepares the way for faith in Christ.
7. P'aith in Christ prepares the way for justifica-
tion. 8. Then follows adoption. 9. Then the
spirit of adoption, or regeneration. 10. Next,
sanctification, or a life of holiness. 11. And then
follows glorifiration. This completes the golden
chain. Thus, you see, God provides and proposes,
and man believes and receives.
Sound theory lies at the bottom of experimental
reliiiion, but there is somethino; to be felt in religion,
as well as believed.
Many hold a correct system of doctrines, but, it
is to be feared, they have never felt the power of
those doctrines on their hearts; have never iiad
the fallow ground of their hearts broken up by
genuine conviction, or known what it is to pass
from death unto lite, it is not at all asionishing
that such persons should feel opposition to heart-
fflt religion in others, and regard all excitement on
the subject of relitjion, as mere delusion. But
what is more rational, than for a sinner to be
excited about the salvation of his soul I If this
does not interest his feelings, surely, nothing can.
God is holv: he is unholy. A holy God will
punish an unholj^ sinner. He feels this to be true,
36 ON EXPERIMENTAL RELIGlOit.
and, in view of his danger, cries out, like the
publican, God he merciful to me a sinner; or, like
blind Bartimeus, Thou Son of David, have mercy
on me; or, like the jailor, Sirs, what must I do to
he saved?
Some are disposed to apologize for this disorder,
as it would now be called, by saying, that the jailor
was converted in a miraculous way, or alarmed by
an earthquake, &c. But, upon reading the history,
it will be seen, that the earthquake was over
before he awoke. Nor did he then discover any
symptoms of conviction, but believing the prisoners
were gone, would have taken his own life, had he
not been prevented by Paul. When the apostle
spoke to him, the Spirit of God presented his sins
in array before him, he fell down, and cried out, as
thousands have done since, Sirs, what must I do to
he saved? and presently, we see him a converted
man, rejoicing over his house. Thus, you see, the
jailor was neither convicted nor converted by an
earthquake, nor by any miraculous power, but by
the operations of the Holy Ghost.
Then, let those who oppose religious excite-
ments, beware, lest they be found fiorhling against
the Spirit of God. I know that people may weep,
and make a noise, without much feeling; yet it is
repugnant to every law of our nature, for deep
feeling to exist, without some external signs of it.
It is not for me to say, how long a sinner must
be convicted, nor how loudly he must cry, before
ON E X P E R T M E .\ T A L RELIGION. 37
he can obtain religion; but thus much I will say,
he must be so sensible of his lost condition, that
he will freely part with his sins for Christ. It is
a matter of no moment with me, whether he fall
down or stand up, be silent or cry aloud; he may
do either, and not obtain salvation. This requires
an unreserved surrender of the heart to Christ.
But, as legal principles are interwoven in the very
nature of man, he will not submit to be saved by
another, until he has exhausted his own strength.
And when he does 'all in his power, and entirely
fails, upon the ground of his own merit — sees that
it will not do to turn back to sin — feels the immi-
nent danger of remaining where he is, and is
so guilty and unworthy, that he is afraid to go
forward — yet, this is the only alternative. He
finds, if he wait to get a good heart before he
goes to Christ, he nev^er would go. Therefore
he casts his all upon the Saviour, or, in common
language, gives up his heart to him, and rests alone
on him for salvation, acknowledging that it would
be just to damn him, though he is not willing to
he dannied. At that moment he is justified freely,
and renewed in the spirit of his mind. And,
althouoh all are not alike sensible that this is
religion, yet all are sensible of the change. One
thing they know, that, whereas, they were blind,
now they see. Yet, owing to their preconceived
()[)lni()ns about how religion would come, and how
ir would feel, and being disappointed in these
44 ?951
38 FAITH AND RECENERATIOIV.
respects, it is not uncommon for those who are
really horn of God, to he afrnid to rcco^iiiize tlie
chancre as hein^ relijjion. They have ohrained
sight, hnt it is dim; they only see men as frees
walkinir. This, however, is not llie case with all.
Some, at the moment of conversion, wiih an
nnfaitering voice, claim the spirit of adoption,
and cry out, My Lord and my God.
FAITH AND REGENERATION.
We have often heard from the pulpit, and
sometimes seen from the press, sppculaiiotis with
regard to the order in which Faith and Regenera-
tion lake place. Some suppose that Reirenerarion
precedes Faith; others contend, that Fai'h takes
place first. As it relates to the nature of them,
it is not important which is first; for thev are
i{»«^eparahlv connected with each other: vet, it is
evident, ihat one must take place hefore the other,
and, to pervert their order, would not only present
a distorted system, hnt involve error.
Faith is an act of our own minds, founded on
testimony afforded hy divine agency. If it he
first, then salvation is susf)ended on the choice
of man; hut if Regeneration ('which is effected,
as some say, hy physical power, without the
concurrence of man's agency,") precedy Faith,
FAITH AND REGENERATION. 39
salvjition is suspended on divine agency. It* Fjiiili
be first, damnation is susjjended on unbelief ; l)iu
if Regeneration be first, then damnation is sus-
2)ended on God's unwillingness to ckattge the heart.
In order to render this subject plain, to the
weakest capacity, I will present Faith and
Regeneration as two stakes, and from them, run
to their beginning corners, and then, to their
respective ends. Let us suppose Regeneration
to be first : —
Q. Are all regenerated ?
A. No.
' Q. Why are not all regenerated?
A. Because the Holy Ghost will not do it.
Q. Why Avill not the Holy Gliost regenerate all ?
A. Because Christ never died intentionallij to save all.
Now, let us return. The Holy Giiost only
reiienerates tiiose lor whom Christ died — inten-
tionally. Only those who are regenerated, can
believe; only those who believe, can be justified;
only those who are justified, can be adopted;
only tiiose wiio are adopted, can l)e glorified.
I DOW suppose the following dialogue to take
place between myself and a glorified saint :—
Q. Why are you thus glorified ?
A. Because I was adopted.
Q. Why were you adopted ?
A. Because I was justified.
Q. Why were you justified?
A. Because I believed.
Q. Why did you believe ?
40 FAITH AND REGENERATION.
A. Because I was regenerated.
Q. Why were you regenerated ?
A. The Spu'it did it, without the concurrence of my
agency.
Q. Why did the Spirit act thus ?
A. Because Christ died, intentionally, to save me.
Q. Why did Christ die for you intentionally ?
A. Because God loved me, and designed, from all eter-
nity, to save me.
This may appear plausible, until we examine its
counterpart. There are some sinners in hell, to
whom I propose the following questions : —
Q. Why are you in hell ?
A. Because we could not be glorified. '
Q. Why could you not be glorified ?
A. Because we were never adopted.
Q. Why were you not adopted ?
A. Because we were not justified.
Q. Why were you not justified ?
A. Because we did not beheve.
Q. Why did you not believe ?
A. Because we were not regenerated.
Q. Why were you not regenerated ?
A. Because the Spirit would not do it.
Q. Why would not the Spirit change your hearts ?
A. Because Christ never died for us, intentionally.
Q. Why did He not die for you, intentionally ?
A. Because God never designed to save us.
So, you see, by placing Regeneration before
Faith, that the damnatioii, as well as salvation,
of every sinner, is bung on divine agency.
Now let us put Faith before Regeneration, and
trace it to its origin, and see what will be ihe
FAITH AND REGENERATION. 41
result. First, Faith: llience to testimony, which is
afforded, that the world may helieve: thence to
the Ploly Spirit, who is come to convince the world
of sin, Sfc: thence to the death of Christ: thence
to the love of God, which is the heginning corner
of Faith. Let us now run hark from the begm-
ning corner, to the end. First, God loved the
world; second, Christ died for the world; third,
tlie Spirit strives with the world; fourth, the world
may believe; fifth, those who believe, are justified;
sixth, those who are justified, are adopted; seventh,
those who are adopted, receive the S[)irit of adop-
tion, or, are regenerated; eighth, those who are
regenerated, are sanctified ; and, those who are
sanctified, are also glorified.
With this order of things, let me inquire of a
glorified saint: —
Q. Why are you in heaven?
A. Because I was sanctified.
Q. Why were you sanctified ?
A. Because I was regenerated.
Q. Why were you regenerated ?
A. Because I was adopted.
Q. Why were you adopted ?
A. Because I was justified.
Q. Why were you justified? -
A. Because I believed.
Q. Why did you believe ?
A. Because I had testimony.
Q. Where did you get testimony?
A. From the Holy Spirit.
42 FAITH AND R K O E N E R A T I O N .
Q. Why did the Holy Spirit give you testimony ?
A. Because Christ died for me.
Q. Why did Christ die for you ?
A. Because God loved me.
Thus, you see, that Faith, before Regeneration,
brings the same glory to God, that Regeneration,
before Faith, does. In each case, the glorified saint
ascribes all to divine agency. But it does more. It
makes the damnation of the sinner turn upon his
own agency. With Faith before Regeneration, I
begin with a sinner in hell, and run back: —
Q. Why are you in hell ?
A. Because I could not be glorified.
Q. Why could you not be glorified?
A. Because I Avas not sanctified.
Q. Why were you not sanctified ?
A. Because I was not regenerated.
Q. Why Avere you not regenerated ?
A, Because I was not adopted.
Q. Why were you not adopted ?
A. Because I was not justified.
Q. Why were you not justified ?
A. Because I did not believe.
Q. ^Miy did you not believe ?
A. Because I would not. Upon my own agency, my
damnation turned.
These are some of the reasons why I choose to
put Faith before Regeneration. And I know of
no other plan, that will enibrace the doctrine
which seems to be so clearly taught in the Word
of God, namely, that a sinner's damnation turns
on his own agency.
CARDINAL POINTS. 4*3
CARDINAL POINTS.
The best way to decide points more obscure,
and fess important, is, by the more clear and
impoitant ones. They are, generally, more clear,
while tlie less important are obscure. Every
system has agreement and government. Just so
with the system of divinity. I find, in the creed
of all orthodox Christians, the following sentiments,
which I will set up, at present, as leading, or car-
dinal points, with which all our other sentiments
will agree, if they be clear of error,
1st. There are some of Adam's family saved,
and those who are saved, are saved by grace,
and God receives all the glory.
2nd. There are some sinners damned, and they
are damned for refusing grace, and the guilt hes at
their own door.
Now, whatever may be the sentiments of Chris-
tians, in other respects, they all agree in these two
points, whether they be Calvinists or Arminians.
If I thought I believed one doctrine, which had
a tendency to destroy either of these points, I
would renounce it; and would not every Calvinist
and Arminian do the same? If I know my heart,
I most firmly believe, that some of Adam's family
are saved; and those who are saved, are saved by
grace, and God receives the glory; and that some
44 CARDINAL POTNTS.
^'
are damned, and that the fault is their own
Calvinist can be more firm in the behef of sala-
tion by grace, and no Arminian more settle^ in
the behef of the guilt lying at the door of tlie
sinner that is damned, than I am.
But, if our system only embrace one of the
above points, there is error somewhere. Some
think, if they can only save the sinner by ^race,
they secure all the glory to God; and it is not
material how others are damned, whetlier by
divine agency, or their own. But our system
ought to operate both ways, and fiecare both points.
If we maintain a sentiment in our system which
appears to contribute to the glory of God; yet,
if v?e hold another, that certainly tarnishes the
divine glory, we lose more than we make— we
destroy more glory than we gain.
I will now present you with two systems
which, though they embrace one of the above
points, severally, yet neither of them embrace botii.
There is one class of divines that hang every-
thing on sovereign agency: the system is called
predestination. This system considers everything
that comes to pass, to have had a previous decree,
and is etTected by divine agency. The doctrine of
particular and eternal election, limited atonement,
and partial operations of the Spirit, is also con-
nected with this system. It is contended, that the
will of all who are saved, is determined by divine
influenc© to choose life, and all the others were
CARDINAL POINTS, 46
either ordained to wrath, or left unprovided for
Let us now run (lie line of this system, to see
whether it will embrace both those leading points,
by which we are to be governed. Some are
saved, and saved by grace, too, and God will
receive all the glory of their salvation. But let
us see whether the guilt of those who are damned,
will lie at their own door. If everything turn on
divine agency, without the concurrence of man's
agency ; and those who are saved, are saved by
divine agency; we gain the first point. But the
same agent that saves one, damns another ; so, the
other point is lost. Thus, you see, by hanging
everything on divine agency, man ceases to be the
cause of his own damnation, and so, the Calvinist
loses more than he makes; for, if he brings some
glory to God by the first act, he loses more by the
second, than he gains by the first; therefore, there
is error in his system somewhere.
A second system hangs everything on man's
agency, and teaches that man, though fallen, is
capable of finding his way back to heaven, without
the aid of divine influence. By this scheme, you
can lay the guilt of the sinner at his own door;
but this only secures one point — the other is lost.
Those who are damned, are the cause of their
own damnation; but those who are saved, are
saved by their own agency, and God is robbed
of his glory: so it is evident, there is error in this
system also.
46 CARDINAL POINTS,
Neither of the foregoing systems will secure
those cardinal points, which we stated in our
outset: therefore, those who hang everything,
either on divine sovereignty, abstract from man's
a'yency ; or on man's agency, abstract from divine
agency; are evidently in error, in some part of
their plan.
I will now present you with a system, which, I
think, will secure both the points in question;
therefore, it must be true.
The government of God is composed of four
different parts. In this government, some things
take place on sovereign principles; others, by the
influence of established laws; others, by man's
agency; and others, again, by a concurrence of
divine and human agency. The will is not deter-
mined by divine agenc}', as the Predestinarian^
supposes; nor by an over-balance of motive, as
the Necessarian says; nor does man possess a
depraved self- determining power to do good, as
the Unitarian says: but, by the intervention of the
Son of God, he is placed under divine influence,
which counteracts his depravity, untrammels his
will, and renders him capable of choosing life, as
well as death; blessing, as well as cursing: and, in
this situation, he possesses determining power —
not a depraved self- deter inining power — but a
determining power of the ability that God giveth.
And as he is an agent in the government, he has
ability to perform his part, and is held accountablo
CARDINAL POINTS. 47
for what he can do, and ouglit to do. God
will do his part in the government, but he will
not do man's part; — man can, and must, do his
own.
But some object to any thing turning on man's
ao;ency, and to his having ability to do any thing.
Those, generally, who hang everything on divme
agency, suspend the knowledge ot" God on his
decrees, and say that God knows everything,
because he has decreed everything; and those
who hang everything on man's agency, generally
say that God does not know everything, or, that
he possesses the capacity of knowing everything,
yet does not choose to exercise it. But, I would
remark, that an intelligent being must know all lie
does, but it is not necessary that he should do all
he knows ; God must, and does know, all he does,
but he does not do all he knows. His knowledge
is infinite, and comprehends what he will do
himself, and what every other being will do; yet,
he is not the author of all he knows. He is,
therefore, the proper judge of all the earth; for
known unto him are all things, and the judge of
all the earth loill do right.
In order to embrace those leading points under
consideration, all must have an election to a state
of trial. Hence, all Adam's family were chosen
in Christ, from the foundation of the world, that
they might, through sanctification of the Spirit,
and belief of the truth, be made holy, and become
48 CARDINAL POINTS.
personaV.y the elect of God, and chosen, or set
apart to a state of glory.
Therefore, as all were chosen, in Christ, to a
state of trial, the atonement was made for al..
All, then, have an election, and, founded on that
election, is an atonement for all. Then, if the
Father chose all, and the Son atoned for all, in
order to have perfect unison in the office of the
united three, all must come into this world under
the office of the Holy Spirit, and a measure of his
influence must be given to every man,, as well as a
general influence: he must convince the world, S^c.
We will now run our lines from all these general
points, to see w hether we can secure those cardinal
points for which we set out, and which we must
embrace, in order to be correct. If only a part
have an election, an atonement and divine influ-
ence, then, only a part can be saved. Although I
will admit, that those who are saved, are saved by
grace, and God receives the glory; yet, there is a
part damned, and why? Because God did not
design to save them; therefore, they could not be
saved. Then, we have laid the damnation of those
who are lost, at the door of divine agency ; and so
we have lost one of our leading points, desiojned
to direct us in our system; and so it will be, if we
hang everything on man's agency. The guilt of
those who are lost, will lie at their own door; but,
remember, some are saved, and God is robbed of
the glory of their salvation, for they saved them-
CARDINAL POINTS. 49
selves. But, if we give all an election, all an
atonement, and all sufficient aid bj the Holy
Spirit, then, any, and every sinner may, and can
be saved. When a sinner may, and can, he ought
to believe; and when he ought, and does, he has
only done his duty; and when he has only done
his duty, he has merited nothing; and if saved
without his own merit, he is saved by grace; and
if saved by grace, God receives all the glory;
therelbre, we have gained the first point, namely,
that there are some saved, and saved by grace, and
God receives all the glory.
But let us, in the next place, with this general
plan, lay the guilt at the door of those who are
damned.
Ail have an election, all have an atonement
founded thereon ; the Spirit convinces all : then,
all sinners may, and can, be saved ; and if they
may, and can, they ought; and if they ought,
and refuse, they ought to be damned ; and if
they be damned, the guilt will lie at their own
door, and heaven will be clear. What more
could the Lord have done for them that he has
not done? So I have secured both points; my
system operates both ways; and, of course, it
must be true.
5
fiO ONELECTION.
ON ELECTION.
In the discussion of this subject, I propose, first,
to consider the term ; secondly, the application.
]st. As to the term: it is to be understood in a
gracious sense, as you may see in Romans xi. 5,
where it is called an election of grace. An
election of grace is not to be understood to take,
or choose one, and leave another; for there is no
grace in leaving any one; but choosing one or
many to obtain salvation, when they might have
been left on the principles of justice.
To make a choice, which might not have been
made, evinces sovereignty; to choose to save those,
who mitiht have been damned, evinces grace. In
the case of man, God did choose to do what he
might not have done, and, therefore, election is
sovereign. But, he not only chose to do what he
niiaht not have done, but he chose to save those
whom he might have damned; and, therefore, it is
an election of grace, or a gracious election. An
election that would leave any out, when all were
exactly in the same situation, would be a sovereign
partial election ; for there would be no grace in
those who were left out. Grace would only be
displayed in saving the unworthy, and not in
passing by a uart of the uuvvorihy.
ON ELECTION. 51
Man innst be considered as fallen, and, conse-
quently, unworthy, wlien the decree of electing
jirace took place; and, as in view of the divine
mind, all things are present, so, in the first instance,
man is considered as chosen from the foundation
of the world, or before tlie world began. See
2 Tim. i. 9.
As to the application of the term, it is first used
in a general sense; secondly, in a personal sense:
but l)oth the general and personal must be under-
stood in a gracious sense. All were chosen in
Christ, when they n»ight have been left.
They were chosen in Christ, who died for their
offences; and they were chosen, that they might
be holy. The election, in the first instance, was
not to a Slate of glory, but a state of trial, that
they might be holy, &c. See the text above
quoted, with many others.
The election, in the first instance, gives all
Adam's family an opportunity of salvation, and
suspends that salvation on such a condition as
excludes boasting, and completely saves the sub-
ject by grace, as you may see in Mark xvi. 15;
£ph. ii. 8 ; Romans iv. 16.
Some say, that a part of the liuman family
was chosen from eternity; others, think a certain
character (the believer), was elected from eternity:
but, as all are guilty and depraved, none could form
the elect character, without a previous election ;
and, to leave out a part, leaves that part under fate.
62 O N E L E C T I O N
All nuist have liad an election, and when any
believe, it becomes personal. In Christ, all have
liad an election. Predicated on liiat election, all
are called by the Holy Spirit, as you may see in
Prov. i. 23; ''Turn }e at my reproof; buhold, I
will pour out my Spirit unto you," «&c. John xvi. 8 ;
*'And when he is come, he will reprove the world
of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."
There is just one thing more to make it per-
sonal : '■''Give diligence to make your calling and
election sure" by yielding to the Spirit, who will
lead you to Christ, and enable you to rest upon
him for salvation; and then you will be "electa
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
through "sanctijication of the Spirit unto obedience,
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ;"
1 Peter i. 2. ''But we are bound to give thanks
cdways to God for you, brethren, beloved of the
Liord, because God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation, through sanctification of the
Spirit, and belief of the truth;" 2 Thess. ii. 13.
Every sinner 7}iay be saved by the death of
Christ; for, by virtue of his death, all have an
election in him; by the operations of the HoJv
Spirit, every sinner can be saved, because a
measure of his influence is given to every man.
But every sinner must believe for himself The
agency of man was first tested federdliy, but now,
personally. When a sinner believes, then all
the advantages of the first and general election
P K R .S E V E li A N C K C» F S A T N T S 53
become jiis; and as only a part believe, so only
a })art are elected to a stare of glory.
'J'lie first, and general election, was, from eter-
nity, to a state of trial, that we mi«:lit be holy; the
second, and present election, which is personal, is
to a state of glory. Those who are personally
elected, are justijied and sanctified, as you may
see in the following scriptures: —
'^ Knuio that the Lord hath set apart him that
is godly for himself 'f' Psalm iv. 3. ''Paul, a
servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ,
according to the faith of God's elect;" Titus i. 1.
''Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto
obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus
Christ : Grace unto you^ and peace he multiplied'^'
2 Peter i. 2.
ON THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE
SAINTS.
Holiness of life, is a consequence of a change,
of heart. This is an essential doctrine of our
holy religion, abont which, we all agree. Bat
whether the real Christian will persevere, and be
eternally saved, is disputed. Some believe that he
will; while others believe, that he may fall away,
lose his religion, and obtain it again, become
64 PERSEVERANCE OF SAIIVTS.
sanctified, and yet lose it, and ohrain it again.
We believe, however, that a real Christian will
not lose his religion, and finally tall into hell. But
to be certain, let us reason tojiether.
On this snhjert, one of two j)rop(»sitions must
be true: either the Gospel secures to the hdiever
c-Dinplete satety, at some given period, or else
lie is eternally in danger of tailing; and, il" so,
eternally the subject of fear, and, consequently,
never the subject of real happiness This idea
is contrary to the Gospel, which secures to every
believer complete and everlasting felicity. There-
fore, the doctrine of apostacy cannot be true, and
the doctrine of final perseverance must be true.
But at what period is the believer's happiness
secured! Some say, at the hour of death. Bur
if the Gospel cannot secure his happiness until
death, then heath is the gkeat thing. // frees
him from temptation, and makes his Heaveti
seeare. But souje have been secured some time
betore death. Job knew that he shouUl see his
Redeemer for himself; and Paul had finished his
course. And many saints, in our day, have an
assurance of Heaven, which they could not have,
if they were in a state of uncertainty. It is rruf",
that sometimes they have doubts (and who will
not douI)t. when he has a clear view of his own
weakness, and, especially, if in additi(m to this he
views the (Jospel as insnfficient to secure him
until death I) yet, every time they have a spiritual
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 55
view of the Gospel plan, they can say, " I know
v\ lioni I have heheved, and an) persuaded that he
is able to keep that which I have conimitted unto
iiini, against that day." Hence it app^•al•s, that
salvation is made secure on this side of death; and,
it* so, what period is so scripiurai, and reasonahle,
as the moment ot* conversion, when a sinner fiist
believes in Christ, and is sealed wiih the Holy
Spirit of j)ron)ise?
But, it is said, that the doctrine of apostacy is
the safest, and, therefore, must be true.
To which, 1 would reply, that many doctrines
appear good in theory, which are not so in prac-
tice; and we oujiht to prove all doctrines by their
practical influence. No doctrine can be true,
whose [)raciical influence is bad. Both doctrines
have been long believed and preached. You can
judge, as \^e\\ as I, of their practical influence.
The safest doctrine will present the fewest
instances of falling, backsliding, Slc. Are there
fewer instances of falling, amono; those who
preach and believe this doctrine, than among
others? I think not. Why then advocate it
v\ ith so nmch zeal since it does not, nor cannot,
produce any truly benefical eflt'cts? I have long
been of the opinion, that this doctrine was ot no
utility in the Church. But, we shall be ask'-d,
if there is not, in our country, as well as in
diflerent other countries, a lariie and respectable
demmiiuation, iliut have flourished under its
56 PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS.
influence? Thej have flourished, it is true; but
rather under the doctrines of repentance towards
God, and faith in Jesus Christ, and other essential
Gospel points connected with them.
Of what advantage to the pious, is the doctrine
of apostacy 1 The advantage proposed by its
advocates, is, that they may bring forth more of
the fruit of evangeUcal obedience, and so live
more to the glory of God. But this kind of-
obedience springs from one of two principles:
either from that of love, or from slavish fear It
is not possible that any man, acquainted with
religion and his Bible, will say, that it proceeds
from the latter. And all that is now necessary,
on this subject, is to determine whether the above
doctrine does, or does not, induce a slavish fear.
The matter is so evident, that it needs no further
examination. What, but frequent alarms, un-
necessary fears and doubts, must be the legitimate
offspring of such a belief? Now, suppose that
the dread of losing religion, and going to torment,
should set a Christian to work, would He,
who knows the heart, recognize such works as
evangelical I I think not. Suppose you have
two sons; one obeys you of choice, and from a
free good will, and love of your character and
government; the other, from a dread of the lash,
and exclusion from you as an heir of your pro-
perty ; which renders you filial service, and which
the service of a slave ? And does not this father
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS 57
know, that if this servile principle, which actuates
the latter, should cease to exist, that all the
obedience resulting from it, would come to a final
close? Is this the "much fruit" by wliich God
is glorified ? Does he want slaves to grace his
throne 1 Suppose the wicked knew that the
Christian was actuated by this principle, would
it be to them any great recommendation of the
divine government? Mia:ht they not say. Ye are
a set of slaves; Ye serve not youi- God from love:
'• Perfect love casteth out fear."
To conclude, then, upon this part of the subject,
the matter stands thus: Evangelical obedience
flows from love, and not from slavish fear. Tlie
doctrine of apostacy inspires this kind of fear;
and, therefore, this doctrine does not promote
evangelical obedience, and can be of no utility
to the Christian.
If the standing of the Christian is infallibly
secured, it is through the abounding goodness of
God. And is it the nature of a Christian to sin
against God, because he is good to him ? If so,
grace is no more grace; religion is no more
religion. True, if he served God only from a
principle of slavish fear, his standing being secured
in this condition, he would, no doubt, take license
to unbridle all his sensual appetites. But, if his
heart is changed from nature to grace, and his
obedience springs from a love of the divine pre-
cepts, where is the danger? Thit gf.odness of
58 P E R S E V E R A N C K OF SAINTS.
God, exemplified in any and every sliape, ought to
have the very contrary effect, and certainly will,
upon every true heliever. But, may not the
doctrine of perseverance, exert a dangerous influ-
ence upon those who are deceived? I answer,
No. If they will examine themselves, and lor
themselves, they may come to the truth. But,
even admitting that it might, would it he as
dangerous, in this respect, as the doctrine of
aposiacy l The lialf-liearted are very apt to
disgrace their profession, and, in times of trial, to
fall away entirely. In such cases, the doctrine
of perseverance, presumes they never liad religion;
and if these persons should again think of getting
to heaven, they must seek a religion different from
what they had hetore: whereas, apostacy admits
they had it, but have 'lost it, and only exhorts
them to seek the same they had before/ I ask
again, which is the most dangerous sentiment?
The answer is unavoidable. And whatever effect
the doctrine of final perseverance may have upon
the half-hearted, or the hypocrite, I am sure it
will tend to gratitude, love, humility, in all true
believers, v^ ho are under its inHuence. I have
heard, that some have said, "If they knew they
were certain of heaven, they would do as they
please — cheat, defraud," &c. Then, I suppose,
they do not vow do as they 2)/ease ! ! A fine
compliment, indeed, to their sincerity. But for
the dread of apostatizing, or rather, its couse-
PERSEVERANCE OF SAT NTS 59
qjiences. awav iniglit go tlie service of God. for
tliem! But, })eri»H[)s. these persons do not spenk
as iliey feel: nor do I. hy any means, design iliis
to have a general application. I have no donht,
there are ihonsands ainonir tiiose who oppose tiie
doctrine of final perseverance, who would live as
holv as they (h), and perhaps more so, under its
influence, lint, once for all, if this senfnnent
encourage wickedness in Christians, there are a
greai nnnjher of positive assertions in the Bihle,
which encourage wickedness, as they direcilv,
and une(piiv()cally, support this sentiment, which
we shall presentiv see.
- lint, it is said, that man is a free agent, and the
doctrine of perseverance destroys his free agency,
and. ilieretore, cannot he true.
To this, I would reply, that if the doctrine of
perseverance destroys man's agency in this life,
the doctrine of heiiig confirmei! in a slate of
glory, destroys it also. And, as we have seen,
if we are never confirmed, we are never irtic from
fear, and "fear haih torment." Consequently, we
are never happy, 'I'he idea, therefore, that ihe
doctrine of perseverance destroys free agency, is
unscripiural, and unreasonahle ; for the only ohjeo
tion that can he made to (he confirming of a i'vt'c
agent, aniounts to this, that it cannot he done
uiihout trial; but all agree that a free agent can
he conlirmed. consisienilv with his agency, aftei
having passed ihrouj^h a slate ot trial. Is it not
60 PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS.
true, that tlie whole human family have a state
of triaU Now, for what purpose is it? Why,
that they may be coufirmed in a state of holiness
and happiness for ever.
Was not the Christian an a^ent, and was not
his agency consulted, when his standing in Christ
was secured? Had this been done without his
consent, or against his will, then, indeed, his
agency would have been destroyed. But, if his
will, and the will of God concurred in this matter,
wherein is his agency disturbed ? Not at all.
Does not the individual, who comes to Christ,
choose him and his service, and the enjoyment
of God, not only for time, but for eternity? If
this be true, would he not be disappointed, should
the Divine Being not secure these things unto
him? I grant, indeed, if he chose religion for
a limited time, or so long as it might suit his
temporal convenience, or until he might take
another notion, then, to impose religion, and in
this condition to confirm him, would be trampling
upon his agency. But, whoever embraced religion
under such conditions, either expressed or implied,
or lodged, unperceived by us, in the deepest and
darkest folds of corrupt nature ? God is not to be
deceived; nor would he commit to such hands,
and such hypocrisy, the pearl of great 'price. No:
we must be sincere. We receive Christ under no
such condition. We choose him and his service
for time and for eternity ; and this is done freely,
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 61
without any compulsion; and, in this choice, this
free, voluntary act of the mind, is our a^encv for
hfe, and for an eternity in heaven, confirmed and
estabhshed. Suppose, now, that in the hour of
conversion, the above choice is in substance made,
(and none dare deny it), and upon this, God
secures our standing, and seals us unto the day
of redemption ; may we not, at any period, look
back, and say, this is no more than what we freely
chose in the moment of our deliverance? Nay,
the saint of God may adopt the same language
eternally in glory. Thus, I believe, that neither
the doctrine of perseverance, nor a glorified state,
is at all inconsistent with free agency; God's
securing the eternal salvation of the agent con-
taining, substantially, nothing more than what he
freely chose.
If the new nature of holiness existed only in
exercise, the subject might lose it. For, although
it is impossil)le, for those who are born of God,
to commit the sin unto death, yet, through inad-
vertence, or strong temptation, they may relax
their religious efforts, and even be guilty of
improprieties. The new nature, however, is a
fixed principle of the heart, producing holy exer-
(^ise — one is the cause, the other is the effect.
Aiui I would here ask, does the cause sustain
ilie effect, or the effect the cause! All will agree,
that the latter is sustained by the former. Then
it is improper to say, I shall keep i.-.) religion
62 PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS.
if I remain tiiitliful. Holy prinriples are ueitliei
produced nor preserved 1))" practice. 1 liey are
impressed upon llie heart i)\ the moral iujaue n\ y
Gt)d. and preserved hy tlie agency ot ihe Spirit,
ilirou^h taiih in Jesus Christ. 1 sh\, rhev are
imjire.sscd upon the heart bv ilje moral ima;j;e ot
(i(jd, and not hv ph\siral power, as some have
>upp(»sed, and thai, too, uilhout anv moral li^ht.
\\ lien \ou u sh to ii\nk(i an impression, \ou tir>t
St t \our t\[)e. ;nd then hrin": it ••• contact with
the object desijined to receive the impression.
The figure, when m.ide, will corresi)ond with the
i\pe b\ which if was made. Alfhough (iod is
a sovereign, he chooses to make a mi)ral impres-
sion on the heart ol man, by causiuij his mural
excellence lo siiine upon it, through the face of
Jesus.
Once more: I would argue, that the doctrine
of rinal perseverance, in connection with a salva-
tion Iree for all, is more consistent than anv
other. They l)oth completely accord with every
Christian's experience. I would ask, was there
ever a soul converted, that did not view a fulness
in Christ, tor all men I And does not the reflection,
that a part of the human t'amilv is exclu.ied trom
any possibility of salvation, tend to diminish the
happines.s of the Christian? I would ask, again,
when (lie soul is happy in the Lord, is that
liappine.ss increased by tlie ihoughi, that it mav
yet lose its religion, aud go to belli 1 thiuk
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 63
not. Tlierefore, I conclude, that neither of these
doctrines is taujiht in the Bible. It" Christians
were more particular in maintaining doctrines that
would accord with their own experience, ihev
would not be so often driven to the extremes of
either Calvinism or Arminianism, and woidd
l)etter enjov their God and brethren.
If is asked, is not the Christian in a sitte of
trial while in this world; 1 answer, ncs; but his
trial dilli'rs very wiiicly from that of a sinm-r. 'I'he
trial ot a simier is designed Jo afford him an
oj)])ortunity of a|)j)lying to Christ for the pardon
ot his sin, and a freedom Irom condemnation. iJut
the Christian has received these things; then't'ore.
ills trial is not intended to |)rf)ve uliether he will,
but whether he has come to Christ; mid to j)rove,
by his conduct, tliat there is a reality in religion,
which relijiion shines brighter and briiihter the
o o c
more it is tried.
The conclusion seems to be this: When the
profession is genuine, the trial will be sustained ;
but, where there is a deception, it will be made
manifest.
The Cln'istian's stay on earth, alter conversion,
is intended to answer several important purposes.
1. That he may be ustt'ul to others; 2. That he
may eidiance his own reward by his work ot taith
at]d labor of love; 3. That iiis Christian graces
n)ay be fairlv tested, w liich. as I betore retnarked,
never fail to shine brighter and brighter in pro-
64 PERSEVERANCE OK SAINTS,
portion to the trials throiigli wliicli he is called to
pass.
Some ohject to the doctrine under considera-
tion, because it is connected, as they think, with
eternal and unconditional election. They sup-
pose there is no intermediate ground between
Calvinism and Arminianism. This, I have often
heard expressed, and, sometimes, by those who
knew but little of the sentiments of either Calvin
or Arminius. I would, by no means, disparage
either of these men. They were, no doubt, both
orthodox in some points, but in others they were
not. This, I presume, will be admitted by all.
The Arminians, surely, will not contend, that
Arminius understood and taught correctly, all that
is in the Bible. On the other hand, it is equally
certain that Calvin did not reach the standard
of perfection in every doctrinal point which he
inculcated. This would preclude the idea of any
improvement in theological knowledge, since the
days of these two divines, and compel us to
embrace either one or the other of their systems,
without even investigation. I, however, crave the
liberty of dissenting from either, or both of these
great and, 1 hope, good men, where they have
departed from the word of God. While I believe
with Calvin in the final perseverance of the saints,
I contend that this doctrine is not inseparably
connected with eternal election. It is predicated
on an appointment which takes place in time.
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. G5
not on one that has existed from all eternity.
" Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God," says Paul,
"whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemp-
tion;" Eph. iv. 30. When does this sealins take
place! Hear the same Apostle: "After that ye
believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of
promise." Sealing has a variety of applications,
but, here, we apprehend, it means to conrtrui.
After believing, then we are confirmed, " unto the
day of redemption," and receive an earnest of our
future inheiitauce. Thus, you see, that tlie
perseverance of the saints has no connection
whatever with eternal election. It might as well
be contended, that prayer, or any other Christian
duty, was connected with eternal election ; for the
perseverance of the saints is nothing more than
obedience, emanating from holy principles im-
planted in the heart in conversion.
•.Those who hold the doctrine of final apostacy,
would think it very unfair, were I to charge them
with believing the absurdities taught by the
Papists, Socinians, and Pelagians, simply because
they embrace one of their tenets, viz., falling from
grace. Is it not equally unfair for Cumberland
Presbyterians to be charged with holding the
doctrine of eternal and unconditional election,
merely because they have published, in their Con-
fession of Faith, some of the tenets held by Calvin 1,
But, it is said, if angels in heaven, and Adam in
paradise fell, then, why may not Chrisitians fall!
G6 PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS.
I answer, there is no analogy l)et\veen the
standing of Christians and that of angels and
Adam. The latter possessed holy natures, and
yet ange!s fell without being tempted hy any
Hijent wliarever, and Adam \ielded to the first
temptation.' Christians possess neitiier the holi-
ness of Angels nor of Adam, yet all will agree
that they withstand many temptations. There-
fore, they stand npon a different loundation to
that of angels, or of Adam in his primitive state.
Then, nothing can he inferred from the fall ot
either, in favor of the fall of a believer in Christ-
He has Christ in him, formed iu him, has his
spirit, his nature, his life.
Bui, say some, if the real Christian cannot fall,
what are we to do with several passages of
i^cripture, a number of characters and figures, that
seem to hold forth the possibility of losing religion ;
I answer, that, upon examination, I think it will
be found, that these aflford no arguments in favor
of the doctrine of falling from grace, I only have
time, at present, however, to give them a passing
notice.
The 18th chapter of Ezekiel, will, first, claim
my attention. It is thought by many, that it
contains incontrrnenible argument in favor of
the doctrine against which 1 am now contending
That the reader may have a correct under-
standing of the true meaning of this chapter, it
will be necessary for him to racolleet that the
PERSEVERANCE OF S A T N T S 67
Jews, in the days of the propliet Ezekiel, were in
a very depraved condition — g'lilty of many
atrocious crimes, for whicli lie was sent to
reprove them, and to warn them of their approach-
ing captivity, and to urge a speed}' reformation, as
the only means of escape They would, some-
times, flatter tiien)selves, that, even if the prophet's
message were true, yet the calamities which he
threatened, were so far distant, that they would
he dead and gone, before they would come.
Their common proverb was, the days are pro-
longed and every mslon faileth. In the chapter
under consideration, they seemed to have viewed
their danger as being near at hand, but attached
all blame to their ancestors, saying. The fathers
have eaten sour grapes, and have, thereby, set the
children s teeth on edge ; that is, their fathers
had sinned, which was about to subject them (the
children) to a state of bondage to the Chaldeans.
They, even dared to impeach the equity of God,
saying, His loays are not equal. This led
Ezekiel to a vindication of the divine character,
from which is inferred the doctrine of falling from
grace.
The prophet supposes two opposite characters
— one turning from righteousness, (verse 26) the
other from wickedness, (verse 27.) both of whom
receive at the divine hand according to their
actions: one dies, the other lives. Now, it is
evident, that by this ri;;hteons man, the prophot
C8 P E II 5 E V E R A N C E OK SAINTS.
intended to represent a former state of the Jevvs>
when they were not guilty of tlie crimes with
which they then stood charged, and that, by
departing from that state, they became opposed
to the calamities which were then hastening to
overtake them. I ask, ivas that a converted state,
and had they all fallen from grace \ It would be
difficult to prove this. How many nations,
besides the Jews, have brought upon themselves
temporal calamities by departing from right or
righteous actions, and indulging in certain crimes.
Are we not now trembling for our own nation, in
consequence of the crimes of Sabbath breaking
and intemperance, and is not the warning voice
of the watchman heard at every point \ Yet no
one attributes this danger to the apostacy of true
behevers. And, whatever difficulty there may be
in understanding the prophet in the chapter before
us, it is obvious that he did not mean, by the
righteous man turning from righteousness, to incul-
cate the doctrine of a true saint of God losing his
religion and going to hell. His whole scope and
design warrant the belief, that he intended the Jews
to understand a strict analogy between themselves
and the individual to whom he referred. But it
is contended, that this righteous man must have
been converted ; because, it is added, in the next
verse, when a wicked man turneth away from his
wickedness, 5fc., he shall save his soul alive.
The . propLet. it will be observed was still
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 69
defendiDg the equity of God in tlie inipendin<i;
calamities of the Jews. He iiad Just shown tljem^
by the siniihtude of an individual, how ihey
became involved; and now, by the reformation
of a wicked man, he points out the means of their
escape.
And what were those means? I answer,
not conversion. This, to be sure, was necessary
in order to escape eternal death ; but, as I have
already intimated, he was, in this place, referring
to temporal calamities ; and, as the means of
deliverance, he urges the Jews to depart from
their idolatry^ whoredom, violence, oppression, S^c.
If they would forsake these abominations, he gave
them to understand, they should not fall into the
hands of their enemies; as our preachers now tell
us, that our independence can only be perpetuated
by suppressing those national vices, which are
every where perpetrated. If this view of the
subject be correct, in order to keep up the
analogy, we are to understand nothing more, in
the case of the wicked man, than an external
reformation. But, says one, it is said he shall save
his soul alive, &^c. True, he shall be delivered
from the captivity, or saved from those temporal
judgments connected therewith. Life and death,
in the scripture, according to the prophetic way
of speaking, often signify external dispensations
of divine providence. Deut. xxx. 15, .19, 20.
Jer,.xxi. 8.
70' PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS.
If it be c()tit( iided, that the j)r()phet referred
to eterrinl dcnth. when he signified that the Jews
liad heronie involved hy personal ,si.n, (v. 20.) I
know not liow Paid's divinity and his can be
reconciled; tor Paul sa\s, hi/ the disobedience
of one (Ad-Am,) many ice re made sinners-, Ron).
V. 19. Here, indeed, the children's teeth are set
on edge hy the sin of the first Father And,
npon the supposition that Ezekiel referred to
etertiai life in tlie case of a wicked mans turn-
ing, t^r. he would contradict anoilier sentiment
of tlie Apostle, which is, hy the obedience of
one, (Christ.) shall many he made righteous.
Bi)th in the tall and restoration of man, the
Apostle embraces, most clearlv, the principle of
representation, which seems not to be embraced
in the chaj)ter under consideration. It is evident,
therefore, tiiat the propliet nmst have included
in the wicked mans turning, 3^'c. something less
than saving grace, and a right to eternal life.
Of course, this chapter affords no testimony that^
a true believer may fall from grace, and be
eternally lost.
The 15th chapter of John is likewise often
introduced to prove falling Jrom grace. It con-
tains a part of what may be called a farewell
discourse, delivered by Christ to his Apostles,
just after he had administered to them the me-
morials of his death, and announced his approach
ing departure. In this parting address, he iu
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 71
formed them, tlint the hour was coming, lohen
they sihould he scattered every man to his own,
and that he would he left alone, (Hllu(lii)i£ to lii"^
Crucifixion,) and tliat they woidd he tempted
not oidy to return to their own friends in
JtMiisalem, hat even to shrink from their Apostle-
ship, and ^o back to their different occupations.
In view of this solemn period, he made several
precHutionary suggestions, (verses 2 — 6.) But
it is evident, from a preceding part of this vale-
dictory, that our Saviour did not intend, in these
remarks, to awaken in the minds of his Apostles
a fear of going to hell ; for he liad previously toIJ
them, that, because he lived tliey should also
live. (John xiv. 19.) Nay, more — he assured
them that such was the stability of the union
that existed between iiim and them, that it
would bear a comparison to that which he
sustained to his Father, (v. 20.) Then, as
there is no contradiction in the infallible word
of Christ, he must not be understood, in the
cautions to which I have referred, as inculcat-
ing the doctrine of final apostacy. Let our
Saviour be his own expositor in this case.
^' These things have I spoken that 7ny joy might
7-emain, and that your joy might be full!' (v. 1 1.)
That is, I have apprised you of your trials
before they happen, and of your entire depen-
dence on me for strength, to enable you to bear
them; that you may not yield to fear, or be
72 PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS.
tVustrated when they arrive. Sliould you shrink
Iroiii your steadfastness, on that occasion, you
will incur my displeasure, as well as diminish
your own happiness. Christ did not say, These
tilings have I spoken that you might not lose
your religion and go to hell.
But we are asked, in almost every sermon
preached on the doctrine of apostacy, (and, by
the by, they are not few,) why caution where
there is no danger? In reply, I would ask,
why pray for things which would be certainly
received without prayer? Reader, do not startle
at this inquiry; that same divine personajje
did this, who delivered the cautions to his
Apostles, from which the doctrine of falling
from grace is inferred. ^'■Father, glorify vie
ivith the gJory which I had with thee hejore the
world was" (John xvii. 5.) Did not Jesus hioio
all things ? Yea, the deep things of GodX Then,
why pray for that which he knew would take
place? I was once asked by a preacher of
some celebrity, ''Why I prayed V If, said he,
your doctrine be true, you will be certain to
get to heaven. 1 cited him to the passage just
quoted, which evidently confounded him, and
he begged time for reflection, before he would
give an answer. Now, the glorification of every
true believer is made just as certain, by the
promises of Christ, as his was by the promise of
the Father, "Whoso eateth my Jksh and drinketh
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 73
my blood hath eternal life, and I will raise
hi?n Zip at the last day;' John vi. 51. ''Ye
are dead, and your life is hid toith Christ in
God. When Christ, ivho is your life, shall appear,
then shall ye also ai^pear icith him in glory." Col.
iii. 3, 4. "/ loill come again and receive you, that
where I am, there ye may be also f John xiv. 3.
By these promises, a state of glory is made certain
to every behever; yet it is their duty to pray, audit
is as consistent for them to do so, as it was
for Christ. Then, if prayer be consistent wuth
a state of assurance, caution is equally so with
a state of safety.
To make this subject more plain to the
reader, I will instance Paul's voyage to Italy,
in the course of which the ship's company became
much alarmed by reason of a violent storm.
At length the Apostle informed them, that not
one of ihem should be lost. Acts xxvii. 22,
23, 24. This prediction was founded on a
divine determination to deliver them which had
been revealed to Paul, by an Angel of God.
But, notwithstanding this decree of heaven, the
Apostle at one time gave a very serious caution :
''Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be
saved; v. 31.
Now, compare this case with the cautions given
by Christ to his Apostles, after he had ap-
pointed them to a state of glory. "And 1
appoint unto you a kingdom:, as my Father hath
7
74 P li fl S E V E R A N C E OF SAINTS.
appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink
at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones
judging the tioelve tribes of Israel f' Luke xxii.
29, 30. Here is a state of security as une-
quivocally fixed as an appointment of heaven
can make it; yet the following cautionary lan-
guage is addressed to the Apostles, the subjects
of this appointment: ^'If a man abide not in me,
he is cast forth as a branch and is withered, and
■?7ien gather them and cast them into the fire^
S^c. ;" John xv. 6. Now, there is no more
danger to be inferred from this caution than
from the one given by Paul to the shipmen.
Then, if prayer, as we have seen, be con-
sistent with a state of assurance, and caution
with an appointment for heaven, nothing can
be inferred from the cautionary language of
the Bible in favor of apostacy.
Another passage relied on, to prove the
doctrine of apostacy, is found in Heb, x. 26.
"i/" we sin wilfully after that we have received
a knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no
more sacrifice for sinV
Two things are necessary in order to a
correct understanding of the Apostle's meaning
in this text. First, to know the persons he
addressed, and secondly, the object of that ad-
dress. With regard to the first, there can be
no difficulty. It is evident that he addressed
the Jews collectively, and it is equally clear
P E R S E V R U A N C f: OF SAT >' T S / O
that his object was to convince theai of the
great advantages ot' the gospel over those of
the ceremonial law, and to correct the errors
of those who had embraced the Christian sys-
tem, but still retained a predilection for the
Jewish forms and ceremonies. In the passages
just referred to, he seems to aim not only at
purging out this old leaven from the true be-
liever, but to prevent even such as had, from
the external evidences of the gospel, (perhaps
inward convictions too,) embraced it as true
from renouncing it under persecution, and re-
turning to the religion of the Jews. Every
body knows, that simply to assent to, or receive
the truth, does not constitute a true Christian.
(See the stony-ground hearers, in Matt. xiii. 20.)
It is also evident the Apostle could not have
meant that every voluntary neglect of duty or
commission of sin, (for I know of no sin with-
out volition,) sealed the damnation of the Christian.
This would have contradicted the doctrine of
John, where he says, ''If any man sin, we have
an advocate icith the Father ;" 1 John ii. 1.
But Paul's whole scope and design clearly war-
rant the belief, that he spoke with reference
to the particular crime of renouncing the gospel
dispensation, and returning to the ceremonial
law. In all such apostacies, damnation would
be inevitable ; lor there was no other sacrifice
for sin, besides that which the gospel revealed
76 PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS-
Therefore, it was important for them not to
cast away their confidence in the truth of the
gospel, (v. 35.) though they might not as yet
have experienced its saving benefits.
The Apostle had the same ol)ject in view
in verses 28, 29. ''If he that despised Moses law,
died without mercy, (Deut. xvii. 2.) hoiu shall
he escape who tramples under his feet the Son
of Gcd, and regards the hlood of the covenant
icherewlth he (the Son of God,) ivas sanctified^'
or consecrated as the Saviour of the world,
''an unholy things The fact that the Apostle
himself had not attained unto sanctification,
(Phil, iii 12.) and that he had, in a previous
part of this epistle, reproved the Jews for their
low attainments in religion, together with the
collocation of the words of this passage, proves
that he had no reference to the sanctification or
personal holiness of those to whom he wrote.
Then, as receiving the truth does not neces-
sarily imply real religion, as sinning wilfully
after receiving it, refers primarily to the Jews
returning to their old religion, and as sanctifica-
tion, in the passage before us, relates to the
manner in which Christ became the Saviour of
mankind, I see nothing in this chapter to prove
that a true believer may lose his religion and
go to hell.
But it is said, "7/' any man draw hack, ^r."
v. 38. Does not this prove falling from grace \
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 77
1 answer, no. There is a wide difference in
supposing a thing, and in proving the reahty of
the thing supposed. Paul supposed, that if even
an Angel from heaven should preach any other
gospel, he ought to ''be accursed'" but this does
not prove that an Angel ever had, or ever
would preach in any way. True, if a genuine
Christian should draw back, so as to lose his
religion, he would inevitably perish ; but this
supposition does not prove that such an event
ever iias, or ever will take place. But suppose
I admit that a just man may draw back, still
there is a great difference between backsliding
and drawing back " to i^erdltion." This the
Apostle carefully guards, by saying, •' We are not
of them wlio draw hack unto perdition, hut oj
them that believe to the saving of the souir
V. 39.
. But it is asked, if a Christian may backslide,
why can he not fall from grace. Let God him-
self answer this inquiry. "/ will be his father,
and he shall he my son: if he commit iniquity,
I ivill chasten him with the rod of 7nen, and
with the stripes of the children of men. But my
mercy shall not depart away from him., as I took
it from Saul, whom I put away before thee!' 2
Sam. vii. 14, 15.
Again, it is asked, where is a man's religion
when he is backsliding; I would reply, by ask-
ing, where is a man's reason when he commits
78 PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS,
an unreasonable act? Is he not still a rational
being? And surely it will not be contended, that
a man ceases to be a Christian so soon as he de-
parts in thought, word, or action, from the re-
qnirements of our holy religion. This would
involve sinless perfection, to which none, except
a few fanatics, make pretensions. But, says one,
v/hat would become of a Christian, were he to
die in a backsliding state. Before I answer this
inquiry, reader, permit me to ask you one or two
questions. Do you believe you have religion?
A.re you as happy now as you have been I If
you are not, then, you are a backslider. Sin
has separated between you and your God. Now,
what would become of you, were you this mo-
ment to die? God would reclaim vou. So, I
say, concerning every genuine Christian.
Again, it is thought, that chapter vi. 4, of
this same epistle, inculcates the doctrine against
which I am now contending : "For it is impojs-
sible for those, who were once enlightened, and
have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made
partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the
good word of God, and the powers of the world
to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them
again unto repentance ; seeing they crucify to
themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him
to an open shame."
No\A', it is scarcely necessary for me to intro-
duce an argument, to prove, that the Apostle had
I'ERSEVERANCK OF SAINTS. 79
HO cillusioii here, to a truly converted man: he
hiinself, has cieteruiiued tliis matter, (v. 8.) by the
shiiilitude of the earth bringing forth nothing but
briers and thorns, after being dressed, receiving
rain from heaven, &c. I have often been aston-
ished that persons, witii this exphination before
them, would rely for a moment on these texts
to prove the doctrine of apostacy ; for the
earth referred to by the apostle, as a fit emblem
of the character that he had just described, never
yielded any fruit ; therefore, could not repre-
sent genuine Christians. Tliey are represented
by the soil tluit brings forth good fruit ; Matt,
xiii. 23-
But, if the passages under consideration, prove
the possibility of losing religion, they also prove
the impossibility of getting it again, (v, 6.) And,
indeed^ upon the supposition of apostacy being
true, it would seem to me, every way reason-
able to suppose, that the apostate never could
be restored; for it is admitted on all hands,
that sinners, hefore conversioti, by rejecting light
and abusing privileges, may lose their day of
grace. But, I ask, can a sinner, under any
circumstances, reject as much light, and abuse
as many privileges, as the Christian would do,
were he to throw away his religion? Surely
not. Then, if a Christian were to fall, his
damnation would be inevitable. Some, to avoid
this difficulty, have applied the Scriptures in
80 PERSEVK RANGE OF SAINTS.
question, only to those wlio are sanctifiecl " If
they shall fall away, it would be impossible to
renew them again unto repentance." Poor en-
couragement this, indeed, to seek sanctificaiion
as it is taught by those who hold the doctrine
of falling from grace! They admit, I presume,
that regenerated people go to heaven when they
die, though they never obtained sanctification
until their dying hour. Tiien, would it not be
more safe to possess low attainments in religion,
than to become sanctified, and still be liable
to fall — and, what is worse, have no prospect
of rising again.
But this application of the Apostle's language,
seems to me, to be entirely without foundation.
Indeed, I think, it will appear, upon a minute
examination, that he was so far from speaking
of those who were sanctified, that his descrip-
tion falls very far short of true Christians.
" They were once enlightened." Are not all
men enlightened? "They had tasted the heavenly
gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost,"
that is, they had received of the Holy Ghost,
power to w^ork miracles, which was called a
iieavenly gift. It is evident, that, in the days
of the Apostles, such power was, in some in-
stances, unaccompanied with saving grace.
"Many will say to me in that day. Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in thy name, and in
thy name cast out devils, &c. And then will I
t
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 81
profess unto them, I never knew jou ;" Matt. vii.
22. Orio-en and others afford corroboratins: tes-
timonv, that devils were cast out among the
Jews, by those who were strangers to true piety.
But, should this explanation be rejected, I will
insist that a sinner may receive a heavenly gift,
consisting of divine influence, and partake of the
Holy Ghost, as the Spirit of conviction — as the
spirit of bondage unto fear — Rom. viii. 15 — ^'^d
yet have no religion. Again, they tasted the good
word of God ; so did Herod — Mark vi. 20 —
so did the stony ground hearers : " But he that
received the seed, into stony 'places^ the same is he
that heareth the word, arid anon with joy receiveth
it ; yet hath he not root in himself, hut endureth
for a while ; for when trihulation or persecution
ariseth, because of the iwrd, hy and by he is
offended:' Matt. xiii. 20, 21. Here the word is
received, and of course tasted ; but who would
say that this character ever obtained religion ?
I pass to the last characteristic. They tasted the
powers of the world to come. This referred to
the Christian dispensation, under which many
have felt powerful impressions, but have stopped
short of true conversion. The meaning, however,
will not be altered, if we suppose the Apostle to
allude to an invisible state. The soul tastes by
feeling ; and who does not know, that sinners feel
the reality of heaven and hell, and may make
some efforts to escape the one, as well as indulge
82 PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS.
pleasing anticipations of the other, and yet remain
strangers to genuine religion 1 Acts xxiv. 25 ;
xxvi. 28. Matt. xxv. 1, 12.
With regard to the characters so often intro-
duced to prove falhng from grace, the hmits of tny
panipliiet will, at present, restrict me to very few
remarks, and I will confine them entirely to the
case of Jadas ; in which, it is thought, we have
incontrovertible evidence of total and final apostacy.
It will, however, be necessary, before this can be
admitted, to prove that Judas was ever truly
converted; for this has never yet been done to my
satisfaction.
The first argument in favor of the piety of
Judas, is drawn from the following Scripture:
j'.Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted,
which did eat of my bread, hath lifted his heel
against me^ Ps. xli. 9. This passage seems to
be applied to Judas by our Saviour. John xiii. 18.
Mine own familiar friend. Surely, says one, Judas
could not have betm a friend without being a
Christian. I ask, was he still a Christian after he
had joined the wicked mob to betray Christ?
Well, after he had done this, Jesus called him
friend. " And Jesus said unto hi??i, Friend, where-
fore art thou come,^' &c. Matt. xxvi. 50. But it
is urged, the Saviour trusted in Judas. Whatever
may be the meaning of this expression, I think,
it cannot be pretended that Christ ever regarded
him as a loyal subject; for it is expressly said,
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 83
tliiit he knew he would betray Jtlm, (John xiii. 11,)
and that he knew it (rom the begiriuing. John
vi, G4. The trtith is, we are to understand nothing
more in the passage quoted . from Psahns, than
expressions corresponding with the p?'ofession of
Judas — not that Christ ever regarded hiui as liis
true friend, or trusted in him, according to the
true meaning of the term.
The second evidence introduced to prove that
Judas was a Christian, is, that he wrought miracles.
To this 1 would reply, that it has already been
shown, that a power to work miracles was some-
thinji separate and distinct from real religion.
Balaam possessed miraculous knowledge ; that is,
a spirit of prophecy; (Num. xxiv. 2-17,) yet,
I presume, no body believes he w"as a good man.
Now, what is the difference between miraculous
knowledge and miraculous power? Both come
from God, and have been possessed by unconverted
men. Then, a power to work miracles affords
no evidence thai Judas was a true Christian.
But it is said, Judas was given to Christ.
True; but in what sense? Surely not as a true
believer. I request the reader to examine the
history of this case minutely. " The?i one of the
twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the High
Priests, and said unto them, What will ye give
vie, and I will deliver him unto you!' Matt. xxvi.
14, 15. Observe, this was before the Sacrament.
If Judas fell from grace, it must have been previous
84 PEUSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. -
to the administration of this ordinance. Now
turn to what Christ said after the communion^
in his sacerdotal prayer, of tliose that had been
given unto him. " Thou givest them me, and they
have kept thy iwrdV John xvii. 6. The reader
will discover, that Christ, in verses 6, 7, and 8,
is speaking of the conversion of his Apostles,
where Judas is not included ; for he had previously
sold his Lord and renounced his word ; therefore,
what is said in these verses, could not have been
true concerning Judas. Hence, he had not been
given to Christ, in conversion, as had been the
other Apostles. But in verse 12, Christ alludes
to his Apostles, as having been given to him in
another sense, in which Judas is included ; viz., as
external disciples.
But, says one, Judas w^as chosen by Christ.
Yes, I answer, chosen as a student, but not unto
eternal life. '*/ speak not of you all: I know
ivhom I have chosen!' John xiii. 18, In this
choice, Judas is not included.
Again, it is said, Judas was sent to preach, and
the inquiry is frequently made with an air of
triumph, would Ciirist send an unconverted man
to preach the Gospel t It is true, Judas was
suffered to remain with the Apostles, though he
had not received the word from the lips of Christ,
as they had done. John xvii. 6-8. Our Saviour
did not see proper to execute the disciphne of the
Church on him, as God, knowing the hearts of
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS- 85
men. While on earth, he chose to act in con-
formity to his government of the Church in after
ages. And, doubtless, there have been, and are
now, but too many Judases in the Church. But,
is she less under the government of Christ now,
than she was then.
But it is still urged, that, if I believe Judas had
no religion, I am under the necessity of believing,
also, that Christ calls and sends forth unconverted
men to preach the Gospel. I would just reply,
that those who believe Judas had religion, and
lost it, are involved in a similar difficulty ; viz., that
it is the will of Christ, that men should retain the
ministerial office after their apostacy ; for he did
not depose Judas, but suffered him to remain with
the Apostles, and even administered the sacrament
to him, after he had covenanted with the Priests
to destroy him.
But, if I had no other proof, that Judas was,
from the beginning, an irreligious man, the
following; would be sufficient. "Have I not
chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil,"
(John vi. 70,) a fallen spirit. This was before
Satan entered into Judas to betray Christ. Luke
xxii. 3. John xiii. 2. He was also called a thief
prior to this time. John xii. 6. These, I think,
are bad marks of Christianity.
The figures which seem to favor the doctrine
of fallino^ from grace, such as twice dead, to my
mind, refer to tiie almost Christian : to those
86 P E R S E V E il A N C E OF SAINTS.
cliaracters, who, after liaviuu died in Adam, were
placed under die quickeniiiij influence of rlie
S{)irit, but rejected the light until it departed ; af^er
v\iiicli they were no more quickened. Perhaps
there is, no metaphor better calculated to represent
this deploral)le situation of the sinner, than a tree,
not oidj dead, but {)Iucked up by tiie roots, from
which we may learn, that there was no {xissibiHty
of its ever being -revived.
Aiiain: the sow, alter she was washed, returned
to her wallowing in the mire. All that I have
to say on this subject, is, had her nature been
changed, and rendered innocent and clean, she,
no dou!)t, would have pursued a different course;
and. had the character designed to be represented
bv this fi»;ure, been changed iti heart, he would
have remained icltk us. But for the want of a
new uriture, it has happened unto him like the soiu
that was washed, 3fc. He went out from us, that
it might be manifest that he ivns not of us. Had
he been of us, he no doubt would have continued
with us.
I will now conclude, by noticing a few passages
of Scripture in favor of final perseverance: some
have already been brought to view, which it will
not be necessary here to repeat.
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit
sin. for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot
sin, because he is born of God." 1 John iii. 9.
We are not to understand sinless pei-fection here.
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 87
This would contradict otiier parts of the word
of God. Chapter i. 8-10 The Apostle gives his
meaning in chapter v. 16, where he speaks of the
sin unto death, and this is the sin which those
who are born of God cannot commit; therefore,
they shall never die.
"For I am persuaded that neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able
to se[)arate us from the love of God, whicli is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.'' Rom. viii. 38, 39.
Observe the manner in which this triumphant
language is introduced. " I am persuaded " By
whom was Paul persuaded 1 Surely not by the
Devil, but by the Spirit of God. Then he was
not deceived when he made this darino- challeno;e
to the enemies of the true believer. Life is
desirable, and death is terrible; i)ut neither the
one nor the other shall be able to separate us from
the love of God. " ISor angels, p?-7ncipnHties, nor
powers." Good angels will not, for they are the
friends of the Christian ; bad angels cannot, for,
although they are enemies, thei/ are restrained
enemies. "■ Nor principalities, nor potvers f' that is,
the powers of civil authority. A Nero may rage,
and others may vent their spite, but all combined
shall not be able to effect a separation betu een
Christ and the Christian. ''Nor things present^
nor things to come." 1 have often heard attempts
88 PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS.
made to evade the force of this passage, by saying,
that nothing but sin could effect a Christian's fall;
but surely the Apostle includes this in things
iwesent. Nor heights, nor depths, nor any other
creature ; that is, neither prosperity nor adversity,
nor any thing that can be named or thought of.
If the Apostle did not believe in the impossibility
of losing rehgion, when he uttered this language,
surely words have no meaning.
" And I will make an everlasting covenant with
them, that I will not turn away from them to do
them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts^
that they shall not depart from me." Jer. xxxii. 40.
It is supposed by some, that this promise only
extended to Israel according to the flesh ;- but
inasmuch as there seem to be spiritual blessings
couched in it, I think it also belongs to Israelites
indeed, and that every true Christian may claim
the benefit of it. In this promise, God pledges
himself never to leave nor forsake his people.
Oh, but, says one, that is not what we are in
danger of The great danger lies in us forsaking
God. But the promise under consideration pro-
vides against this also. I iitill put my fear in their
hearts, that they shall not depart from me. God
knows if his people be left to themselves, they will
depart from him ; but he has determined not to
do this.
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow in©, and I give unto them eternal
PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 89
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall an/
pluck them out of my hands. My Father, who
gave them me, is greater than all, and none is
able to pluck them out of my Father's hands.''
John X. 27, 28, 29. What language could he
stronger? From it we learn that Christians now
have eternal life : not tejnporanj life, which would
be the case, were they to fall from grace. This,
however, they cannot do; for he w^ho is greater
than all, has them in his hand, and none is able
to pluck them out of his hand.
" Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth
my word, and believelh on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condem-
nation, but is passed from death unto life,"
John V. 24. Here the present state of the believer
is first brought to view. He has endless life
begun in his soul. It is, then, most clearly shown,
that this life will never be forfeited, for he shall
NOT come into condemnation.
The above quotations are but a brief specimen
of what the word of God says concerning the
security of the saints. It would be needless to
multiply.
The reader will plainly discover, that the
passages we have recited are direct in their
application, and too positive in their declarations
to admit of doubt, with regard to their true
meaning. This, I think, is not the character
of those introduced to prove final apostacy
8
90 FREE MORAL A G E N C V ,
Their application is doubtful. Indeed, I never
saw the fust positive text of Scripture to prove
this doctrine.
ON FREE MORAL AGENCY.
A FRIEND requests, that I should say something
about moral free agency — the true distinction
between free agency and moral agency. I know
not that I can say any thing satisfactory on that
vexed question, which has employed the best
pens for ages past ; but, if I cannot satisfy others,
I ought to understand myself, what I mean by free
moral agency. By a free agent, I understand one
that acts without restraint or necessity. A moral
agent, is one that is held responsible for his
conduct. Man acts freely, without restraint or
necessity; and is accountable for his actions:
therefore, man is a free moral agent. We are
now considering man in a state of trial; in which
state he has power to act or do what he will not
have power to do, when the advantages of probation
are removed from him. Removed from these
advantages, he may sin freely, or do what he is
inclined to do ; but he will sin necessarily, having
nothing to counteract his depraved nature. He
can do nothing else but sin ; but he will be a
FREE MORAL AGENCY. 91
moral agent, if he can sin. He has moral ability,
for sin is an act of a moral as;ent; and having,
by the abuse of his blessings, turned them into
curses, he is responsible for his after conduct.
But, as we are speaking of a subject in a state
of probation, for the better understanding of this
subject, we will remark, that, to understand the
operations of God on mind, and the operations
of mind toward God, is all important, in considering
a free moral ajjent. That God does operate
on mind, and that mind nmst co-operate with
God, are truths plainly taught in the Bible.
Theology and philosophy are two grand sciences.
Theology teaches the nature and operations of
God, philosophy the nature and operations of
mind. We will say but little about theology at
present : our business is principally with mind and
its operations. And that we may better understand
its nature and operations, we will consider the
philosophy applied to mind.
And, first, very different views have been
entertained as to the philosophy of mind. All
agree, where there is a moral action, there must
be determining power somewhere ; but, where
that power rests is disputed. All the views which
have obtained notoriety on this subject, may be
resolved into four. And, first, the philosophy that
gives motive the power to determine the mind.
Secondly, that philosophy that gives inclination
the determining power over the mind or will
92 FREE MORAL AGENCV,
Thirdly, that philosophy which gives nimi the
determining power, without divine agency. And,
fourthly, that philosophy that gives man the
determining power by divine agency. The latter
we think the true philosophy, which alone sustains
the doctrine of man's moral free agency. But, to
be better understood, we will review the different
theories, and mark their results.
First, motive : if that determines the mind,
or if motive have the determining power, the
being that governs the motive, governs the
, mind or choice,- and the choice is necessitated ;
and if the choice be necessitated, free moral
agency is lost ; the being that controls the motive,
controls the mind, and is responsible for the
action.
But, secondly, the philosophy that gives the
inclination the determining power. The inclina-
tion was inherited from another, over whom we
have no personal control; and the choice is
necessitated — whether Adam in innocency, or
man in his fallen state. Adam received his quality
of nature from God. We have received ours
from Adam. Now, according to the philosophy,
that inclination determines the mind, and that
man can only choose as inclination dictates, how
could Adam sin 1 Adam was holy ; he was
inclined to good. How, therefore, could Adam,
according to that philosophy, put forth an evil
action 1 He could not choose to sin : and his
F l; E E MORAL AGENCY. 93
inclination cDuld not be impaired by his own act.
But, as it is a fact, that he did sin, some evil
agent, over whom he had no control, must have
defaced the divine image, or erased it .from his
heart, and planted the principle of enmity to God
therein. Then he had something within himself
that accorded with the object presented by Satan ;
and thus he had power to* do wrong, because he
was inclined to evil. Or else his Maker, for the
general good, as some suppose, by an act of his
power, changed the law of his nature ; and
then he could sin, and be the subject of misery;
9nd being a subject of misery, mercy could be
developed ; and thus sin would be for the general
good ; and as his object was to glorify his mercy,
the end would sanctify the means. The same
philosophy that is applicable to man in a state
of probation, tliough a sinner, was applicable to
Adam in innocency.
Thirdly. The philosophy that gives man
determining power in his fallen state, without
divine aid, so that he can choose life as well as
death, is contrary to the Bible ; and man, in his
present state, is not deeply depraved : if man, by
means or instrumentality alone, can correct his
evils, and restore himself to the favor of God,
you will find all those who consider man able
to correct his evils by the use of means, deny
the divinity of Christ, personality and influence
of the Holy Ghost. And that philosophy is
94 FREE MORAL AGENCY.
infidelity in disguise, though it may be called by
the name of Christ.
Fourthly. That philosophy that gives man
power to act or determine by divine aid, or the
agency of the Holy Ghost, and the means he
uses to aid man rightly to determine, gives man,
under an economy of mercy, power to use motive :
he acts in view of motive, but he uses the motive.
There is a great difference in the two theories.
According to the first, the motive uses the mind ;
according to the second, the mind uses the motive.
Man also has power to use inclination. He can
determine to accord with his inclination, or go
contrary to it. We see this daily developed:
the lazy man has no inclination to labor; yet,
knowing he will starve if he does not, he will do
what he is not inclined to do. The sick man is
not inclined to take medicine ; he has no taste
for it; yet he will take what be feels an aversion
to, rather than die. The sinner is inclined to sin ;
he loves sin ; and yet he can turn from it. Did
not our Saviour teach this doctrine, when he
said, '' Except a man deny himself, take up his
cross and follow me, he cannot be my disciple 1"
And did he not always teach this doctrine 1
Read the Bible throughout; it is full of proof, that
man may act in accordance with his inclination,
or go contrary to it. But w here is it said in the
Bible, that without Christ, we can do all these
thinjs^s 1 or what sinner convinced of his own
FREE J\l O R A L A G E iN C Y . 95
sinfulness can do so! We do all these tliin«:s
D
by tiie ability that God giveth.
We have said, the same philosophy that governs
man in his probation, governed Adam in his
probation. Adam was a free moral agent; he
was not necessitated to good or evil ; though he
was upright, he might do either; he acted in view
of motive, but the motive ^lad not the determinino
power; the law of his nature or inclination was
to good, but he was not determined by his
inclination, or he would not have sinned. But
he had power to act consistent with that law,
or contrary to it. He chose the latter, and by his
improper choice, he lost his purity. God did not
destroy it, before he sinned ; but he destroyed
himself. He fell from his original rectitude, by
his disobedience to a positive command, which
was designed to test his loyalty; and thus became
totally depraved, unable to help himself. According
to the same philosophy, he must be brougbt back
in the same way he went off from God. Here
we might, for a moment, introduce theology, or
the nature and operations of God, and see what
he has done for us, for in him is our help. Now,
man, as a free moral agent, could ruin himself,
but could not restore himself Therefore, if God
had not graciously and sovereignly exercised his
agency, man never could have returned to bim.
There were two impossibilities in his way ; he
was guilty, and could not atone ; he was de|)raved,
96 FREE MORAL AGENCY.
and could not, except an atonement be made for
him. God, tlierelbre, chose the race of men, in
Christ Jesns, to a day of probation.
Christ Jesus made an atonement for man ; the
Holy Spirit has come to operate on him and in
him; to lead, and enable him to believe in Christ;
and by his influence, and the means instituted
by him, man is placed on equal ground with his
foe. The law has been broken ; and he cannot
restore himself to its righteousness or holy nature.
But God does not ask him to keep the law, in
order to be restored to his favor; this is out of the
question. But the gospel is a positive institution,
with which he may comply ; and by taking the
vantage-ground of the gospel, he may be restored
to the righteousness and holy nature of the law.
The law cannot bring the sinner up to the gospel ;
but the gospel can bring a sinner up to the law.
It is not necessary, that the nature of the law
be restored to the heart, in order to faith in Christ;
the law would then bring the sinner up to the
gospel, and the gospel would be of none effect.
But, as Adam fell by violating a positive institution
before he lost his purity, so the sinner, by the
Holy Spirit's influence, complies with the gospel
by faith, which is a positive institution, before he
is regenerated. And, as according to the true
philosophy of mind, though he acted in view of
motive, he was not necessitated by it, though he
was inclined to evil; vet that inclination did not
FREE MORAL A r, E N C Y . 97
necessitate his choice; nor yet did he believe
without divine aid. He was deeply sensil)le,
by liis own experience, liiat he couKl not save
himself; yet lie could cast his all upon Christ.
And,- as Adam lost his purity, or the divine iniase,
by sin, so ihe behever is restored to the divine
image by laitii. By faith he enters into covenant
with God. Justification, adoption, regeneration,
sanctification, and glorification, are covenant
blessinijs. The plan of the Bible is grace and
dutv. God calls; the sinner must obey the call.
God makes known the plan of salvation ; the
sinner must accept it. Then God justifies, adopts,
renews, sanctifies, and glorifies. The scheme of
salvation originates with God, and is carried out
in man's agency. The system is gracious; and
personal accountability is secured. Election, in
the first instance, was sovereign, gracious, and free;
choosing all men to a day of mercy. Personal
election turns on the choice of the sinner. Elect,
through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief
of the truth. And thus free moral agency is
sustained. God receives all the glory of faith;
and man all the damnation of unbelief
I have endeavored, in as brief a manner as
possible, to present the subject before the mind.
The reader may wish for explanations; but the
subject is too copious to admit an explanation
of every point, in one short essay.
9
98 P R E D E S T I N A T 10 N
PREDESTINATION AND FORE-
KNOWLEDGE,
OR KNOWLEDGE AND DECREE.
Some divines consider foreknowledge founded
on predestination ; others believe predestination is
founded on foreknowledge : there are others who
blend the two together, and consider them synony-
mous. We ask leave to offer a few thoughts on
the perplexing subject.
And first, the Bible settles the question whether
knowledge is founded on decree or decree on
knowledge. Rom. viii. 29 ; " For whom he did fore-
know he also did predestinate." So we see, ac-
cording to Paul, he did not decree and then know,
but he knew and then decreed. As to whether
knowledge and decree be the same thing, our
knowledge of language must determine; know-
ledge is a perfection of the Divine Being, decree is
an act Now, if knowledge be essential to the
being of God, and he could not know unless he
decreed, then he purposed before he had a being.
But this is absurd ; therefore we conclude that
knowledge belongs to his being, and decree to his
operations ; he must have a being before he can
act, he must know before he decrees. His know-
ledge is infinite ; but if it depends on decree, then
decree makes it infinite — then all the perfection of
AND FOREKNOWLEDGE. 99
knowledge possessed by God is created, and is n(»t
a part of his being. But some consider that it
establishes the doctrine of fate for God to know
every thins. To this sentiment we would respond,
would it not be idolatry to worship a being below
inanity, and if the knowledge of God were not in-
finite would it not detract from his excellence and
render him less the object of our esteem 1 We
conclude, that if he did not know every thing, we
could not confide in him with safety ; we might be
in trouble and need his aid, which could not be
afforded, unless he knew it. It is certainly no ob-
jection in the mind of a good man that God is in-
finite in knowledge, or that he knows every thing:
and fate cannot be attached to him on account of
his infinite knowledge. It is desirable that he
should know, and a pleasino; thought it is, that he
does know every thing. It is essential to his being
to know every thing; but it is not essential to his
being, nor is it desirable, that he be considered the
author of every thing that comes to pass; for sin
comes to pass, and it is not desirable that the ob-
ject of our worship be the author of sin. He must
know all he does, but he must not necessarily do
all he knows. He knows what we will do as
well as what he will do himself.
Our fate or end is no proof that he is the author
of the evils which involved us in such an end : his
knowing that a sinner will be turned into hell does
not detract from his moral excellence. But if it
100 P R R D E S T I .\ A I" I O N
wore known tlinr lie orHuiiiPfl him to liell, ^^'irllont
the roiisiderfirioii of his choice, and execiuctl his
decree \)\ his own njicncy that involved an inrelli-
jjjenr heinji in the fires ot hell, man mijiht ohj* ci to
the divine chaiacter and refuse to worship him;
and indeed it would seem impossible to love a he-
in^ iHider the cotiviction that He was ihe amhor
of all the evils that involved him in miserv. lint
not so as relates to the knowledjje of God; tor
from the very fact that lie knows our down-lying
and np-rising. and is acquainted wiili all our wa^s,
|je ought to he loved the more and trusted in with
the greatest confidence. AVe cannot forbid Hini
who is infinite in knowledjie, from knowins: our
end as well as our [)eo:innin'i, and all our w avs ;
he is thereby considered the more worthy of the
good man's love.
But let us conclude this subject by presenting
tiie character of God, as made known in the
Bible. His knowledge is infinite, iiis purposes are
all formed on holiness, according to his infinite
knovvledjie; and his knowledge being infinite, com-
prehends himself and all possibilities — he therefore
knows himself and every other being. He knows
what he w^ill do himself, and what everv other be-
ing will do; and on his knowledge of what ought
to be done, knowing what is done, lie fixes the des-
tinies of all according to his infinite iiuowledge of
what is right. According to the character of all
is created intelligeuces, shall " not the Jud^e o(
THE II C) L V S I' I R IT . J 01
all the earth do right ?*' His knowledge helongs
to his l)eing, his purposes heloiig to his opcratioiis ;
foreknowledge belongs to the being of God, pre-
destination to his operations. Knowledge is a
perfection of his nature, decree is an act. We are
authorised to believe, and it is a pleasing tliouiiht.
that God knows every thing; but we are nor au-
thorised from the Bible to believe that he docs
every thing he knows. Every thing God piirj)o-
ses and does, has holiness stamped upon it; but many
thinjis have not this stamp, therefore they do not
belong to his operations. But He tells us who is
the author of all evil ; that the Devil is the father of
lies, the father of inconsistencies and that man has
destroved himself; for all have sinned ;intl come
short of the glory of God, Sin is known of God,
and is what he hates; would he therefore be the
author of what he hates ? Surely he knows what is
wrong, but surely he would not purpose to tarnish
his own glory.
ON THE PERSON.ALITY AND OFFICE
OF THE HOLY SPHUT.
Bv the term Holy Ghost, is meant a person,
not an influence, a spiritual person, not a phvsical.
His essence and personality belong to the being of
102 ON THE PERSONALITY AND
God, and his procession and office to the operations
of the Godhead. According to the Bible, God is
one and tliree : one in essence or perfection, three
in person. By the unity of God, some understand
only one person and one God, and exclude person-
ality as belonging to the Holy Ghost — that by the
Holy S[)irit, we are to understand the influence
the one holy person, or God, exerts on the universe,
and not a distinct person in the Godhead, but a
personal influence from the one God who is but
one person.
We believe in a spiritual influence, put forth
from one God, who is three as well as one ; and
that the Holy Ghost, so often mentioned in the
Bible, is a person, belonging to the being of God,
and who is a Holy Spirit, and by an agreement or
covenant of the united three, is the person or agent
who, by direct or indirect influence, brings every
thing to pass.
This distinct personality in the Godhead is evi-
dent from the Bible.
1 From the fact that God is often spoken of in
the Bible, by means of the plural number: "Let
us make man," «&c. &c. Gen. i. 26. " The man
is become as one of us;" Gen. iii. 22. The
New Testament reveals how many persons there
are in the Godhead. There are three, and their
distinct names are given: Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost ; and these three are one.
2. Personal powers of will and understanding
OFFICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 103
are ascril)cd to him: 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11 ; also xii.
11. Epli. iv. 3.
3. He is an ol)ject of worship: Matt, xxviii. 19:
also 2 Cor. xiii. 14. The personal pronoun is
used in proof of his personality, John xiv. 26; xv.
26; xvi. 13 ; also Eph. i. 13. Personal offices
are ascribed to him, Rom. viii. 26. A number of
personal acts are ascribed to him: speaking, teach-
ing, witnessing, Sac. See Mark xiii. 11 ; Acts
XX. 23 ; Rom. viii. 15, 16 ; 1 Cor. vi. 19 ; Acts
XV. 28 : also xvi. 6, 7. The Holy Ghost is a per-
son, equal in power and glory to the Father and
Son. Names applicable to the most high God are
ascribed to him : Acts xxviii. 25. Heb. iii. 7, 9.
Attributes proper to be ascribed to God are as-
cribed to the Holy Ghost: L Cor. ii. 10, 11; Isa.
xl. 13, 14. He is emphatically called God; see
Acts v. 3, 4. " Thou hast not lied unto men, but
unto God." Almost innumerable passages of scrip-
ture prove his personality, and that he is a divine
person, possessing power to will and work, and
worship due him. He is equal in power and glory
to the Father and Son, and essentially belongs to
the beinii of God.
The united three, in counsel or covenant, in
view of creating a moral universe, provided to
meet all the incidents of the universe. The Father
is considered as the conservative of the Godhead,
the Son as the medium of connnunication, and
the Holy Spirit as the agent by whose operation
104 ON THE P K R S O N A I, I T Y A ^ [>
every thin^ desiiiiieil by God should be brought to
pass, ihrouoh the Sou, by the direction of the
Father. His operations, by some, are explained
as extraordinary and ordinary : the former by ma-
king men prophets, the latter by his makin^^; men
saints. By others, as direct and indirect : the di-
rect without nieans, the indirect by means. And
some exckide direct influence on the heart aUo-
gether; and by the indirect, they evidently deny
divine influence, and attribute all the means, with-
out the Spirit. The means have the power to
pardon and chanoe the heart by appointment : not
that there is any divine agency, giving the means
efficiency, but the means themselves, being appoint-
ed by God, have the power to open or change the
heart. Some consider the written truths of the
Bible as the means, and the ministers of the gospel,
as the agents to apply the truth, and by means of
the truth they have power to change the heart ;
and the Holy Spirit has nothing to do in our sal-
vation. Indeed according to that theory, there is
no Holy Ghost; but God, who is but one person as
well as one God, does all that is done in the world
in its conversion by the agency of men, presenting
the truths of the Bible before the minds of the
people, and by man's agency, not the Holy Spirit,
sinners are converted to God
But it is evident from the Bible, as we have
shown, that there is a Holy Ghosi ; and that his
agency is as necessary in restoring order to the
OFFICE OF THE HOLV SPIRIT. 105
moral world, which is a moral chaos, as his agency
was necessary to the proper organization of the
physical world, when in its chaotic state. And
the Holy Spirit can operate directly, on spirit, as
well as indirectly. He that made man, and gave
him a living soul, can he not have access to that
soul, without recourse to means whicli can only
address the senses of the body I But if he choose
means, and means addressing the soul through the
body, is not the agency of the Holy Spirit as essen-
tial in the conversion of a sinner, as though lie
operated directly 1 Tlie word of God is the great
means, but the Spirit is the agent which makes
the truth or the word of God efficacious ; and
niinisters are but instruments in the great work.
Wljat would a sword do, if no skilful and power-
ful hand wielded it? And who is Paul? who is
Apollos ? but ministers. Paul planted, Apollos
watered ; but God gave the increase. So neither
is he that planteth, or he that watereth, any thing,
but God that giveth the increase. If then the
agency of the Spirit be as necessary, where means
are employed as where they are not, what has the
objector to immediate intkience of the Holy Ghost
gained I The agency of the Spirit is essentially
necessary. Then if any deny direct inlluence on
tlie heart of a sinner, the indirect operation is
necessary, and no sinner will ever be saved with-
out the agency of the Holy Spirit, however appro-
priate the means may be.
3 06 ON THE PERSONALITY AND
1 he Holy Spirit is the agent which executes the
divine purposes ; and he is called holy, not because
he is essentially more so than the Father and the
Son, l>ut because his work is to make men holy.
He executes the decrees of God; and the decrees
when brought to pass, have the impress of holiness
on them. We may safely conclude that the Holy
Spirit never brings to pass any thing unholy; and
as he executes the decrees of God, sin is not to be
found in the decrees. The Holy Spirit produced
the humanity of Christ, anointed him, and in the
emblem of a dove, testified that he was the Son
of God. He raised him from the dead. He de-
scended on the apostles, and inspired them to
preach in every man's tongue. He convinces the
world ; his operations are as extensive as the
atonement; and the atonement as extensive as the
Father's electing love which chose all men in Jesus
Christ, that they might be holy or placed under a
holy influence, exerted by the Holy Spirit. And
when the sinner yields to that influence, he is led
to Christ; and when he receives Christ, he is jus-
tified, adopted, renewed by the Holy Ghost in the
spirit of his mind, sealed to the day of redenijjtion,
comforted and sanctified. Thus the Holy Spirit
has a great work to do in the world; and without
his soul-warming and holy influence, our world
would be as cold religiously, as Greenland's icy
mountain is naturally.
The doctrine of the Holy Spirit's personality and
BIBLE DOCTRINES, 107
holy agency is a pleasing sentiment; and he is
promised to be with his servants to the end of the
world. And by his influence the wilderness and
solitary places shall blossom as the rose. He not
only calls sinners to repentance, btit he also calls
men to preach, and gives energy to their preach-
ing. His Iruits are pleasant fruits: love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meek-
ness, temperance ; against such things there is no
law.
Who amono;st men would be a Christian? And
what would a Christian be without those graces of
the Holy Spirit? Let us, my brethren, yield to his
influence, and never grieve the heavenly dove.
Let the sinner turn at his reproof; and he will lead
him to Christ. Remember, sinner, it is a fearful
thing to sin against the Holy Ghost.
A SYNOPSIS OF BIBLE DOCTRINES
IN THEIR ORDER.
1 All religion supposes the worship of a God.
The God of the Bible describes hiuiself a Spirit;
infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being,
wisdom, power, holiness. Justice, goodness, and
truth. Three classes of perfections are ascribed
to him. 1st. Moral, which conveys to us the idea
of law or rule. 2nd. Perfection, which conveys to
108 R I B r, E D O C T 11 I N E S.
US the idea of agency ; wisdom to plan and power
to execute, constitutes an agent; an agent must
have a rule or a law by which to act; holiness is
the rule of his agency : his willing or decreeing a
thing does not make it a right, hut he wills or de-
crees because it is right. The 3rd and last class
of perfections ascribed to God, expresses the de-
gree (if we may apply the term degree to Deity)
in which he possesses the rule and power of ac-
tion. He is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in
his rule and power of action.
2. The immutable perfections of his nature,
which may be considered the law of his mind, and
source of motive to his will, viz : holiness, justice,
goodness, and truth, constitute the great principles
of law to all intelligent beings. The law is im-
mutable and universal. These grand principles
cannot be brought down or modified to suit the
weakness or wickedness of fallen creatures. The
oflender may be brought up to the standard at the
pleasure of God, but if brought up at his pleasure,
his plan must and will sustain every principle of the
government and develop the law by wiiich he, as a
sovereign, purposes and acts. Shall not the Judge
of all the earth do right? The Lord our God is
holy, is essentially so, and declaratively so ; he is
holy in all his works and righteous in all his ways.
3. Man was made upright, created in the image
of God, natural and moral. By the natural, we
understand he was au agent; by the moral, the
B I B L E D O C T R I N E S . 2 09
nature of those iininutable principles was printed
in his mind. It was his duty to love God, and he
was disposed to do it, but he was not confirmed
in that holy and happy state: his not being created
confirmed, does not prove that he cannot be con-
firmed in happiness or misery ; but, according to the
immutable principles of law, his agency must be
regarded, which would not have been had he been
created confirmed. His agency must be tested,
and, in a duration of time, according to the pnrt he
acts while on trial, heaven or hell may be his eter-
nal destiny, and the immutable principles of law
fully carried out. Man's, agency was tested by a
positive institution, securing all the principles of a
moral government, Man, the first man, the natu-
ral and legal head of all his race, eat the forbidden
fruit, and by one man, this first man, sin entered
into the world, and death by sin, and so death has
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
4. The Gospel is a positive institution, which
does not change one principle of the moral law,
modify or bring it down to the weakness and
wickedness of man, but provides to briii^ fallen
man up to its righteousness and holy nature,
and may be considered the administration of the
law in a way of mercy, through a Mediator. The
gospel is good news, a bundle of good news, con-
taining the following important articles : First in
order, election, unconditional, an election of the
race or whole family of Adam. We said election
'0t
110 BIBLE DOCTRINES.
of the race to a state of probation, untlionglit of
and unsolicited by liini, and without any condition
required, whetiier he would accept or reject. He
was graciously, and sovereignly, and freely chosen
to this state without any condition on his part.
The only condition, if it may be so called, was
the death of Christ, if he died for the sins of the
first Adam, he and iiib race shall have a personal
being under an economy of mercy. What the
Bible calls personal election turns on sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of the truth, and that is
an election to a state of glory. But as I must
close this article, I will do it without comuient on
the other points of the System. We have seen
election of the race is first in order : second, the
atonement: third, the operation of the Holy Spirit:
fourth, conviction for sin : fifth, repentance: sixth,
faith in Christ: seventh, justification: eighth,
adoption : ninth, regeneration : tenth, sanctifica-
tion: eleventh, glorification.
Oh, the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom
and knowledge of God, how unsearchable his
judgments and his ways past finding out. Had he
not chosen and revealed the plan of salvation, the
world never would have known it. Let us esteem
that revelation, which not only tells of the past and
the present, but of things to come.
SANCTIFICATION lU
ON SANCTIFICATION.
Sanctification is to be understood according to
the Bible, in a two-fold sense : first, legally. When
any thing or person is set apart by divine appoint-
ment to a holy use, as pots, tables, &c., the ihi/igs
themselves could have no holiness of nature, but by
divine appointment were set apart to a sacred use.
The children of believins; parents have a federal
or legal, but not an inherent holiness; when one
or both of the parents believe in Christ, the chil-
dren are called holy. See 1 Cor. vii. 14; "For
the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife,
and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the hus-
band : else were your children unclean ; bat now
are they holy." Not only the children, but the
unbelievino; husband and wife are sanctified bv
each other's faith, to some sacred purpose and
privilege. We are not to understand that the faith
of the wife regenerated the husband, nor the faith
of the husband regenerated the wife, or the faith
of one or both the parents regenerated the children,
cr gave them an inherent holiness; but brought
them into a covenant relation with God : securing
to the children advantages they could not enjoy
out of the visible Church. The children of
unbelieving parents, are not holy or sanctified in
the same sense believer's children are; they ar^^ as
112 S A N C T I F J C A T I O N .
\u)]y in their nature as the children of believing
parents, but they are not legally so. Believing
parents have rights and privileges promised by the
Great Head of the Cliurch, both for themselves
and children, while the unbelievers have not. Tlie
promise to Abraham was, "1 will be thy God, and
the God of thy seed." And again: Paul declares,
Gal. iii. 9, '* They which be of faith are blessed
with faithful Abraham." We have only to ask,
how was Abraham blessed 1 and the answer is at
hand : " I will be thy God, and the God of thy
seed."
From the above we have seen that persons and
things that have no native holiness, can have
holiness by appointment ; and, according to Scrip-
ture language, can be pronounced sanctified.
But secondly. We are to understand sanctifica-
tion as relates to the nature and quality of the
heart and life; an inherent holiness, by which we
understand the heart is set apart to the service of
God ; the love of sin is destroyed, and the affec-
tions of the soul sanctified — consecrated to the
service of God. This principle, when carried
out, practically, brings the child of God up to the
fulness of the stature of Christ, to be a perfect man
or woman in Christ Jesus. It is our main object
to notice sanctification in the latter sense. Sancti-
fication in this sense, commences in regeneration,
and develops itself in all the departments of life,
until holiness, like leaven, diffuses itself into every
S A N C r ) F I C A T I O N . 113
thought, word, and action, until the person knows
how to possess his vessel unto sanctification and
honor. Regeneration and sanctification are con-
sidered as distinct doctrines by some, but tlie only
difference is, regeneration begets the principles of
lioliness in the heart, and sanctification brinfj;s it to
full starure. Regeneration implants the principle
of holiness in the heart ; sanctification, which is
progressive, is the blade, the ear, the full c^rn in
the ear. Various figures have been used to explain
both.
One illustrates the subject thus: the Holy
Spirit, who is the agent, first draws the great out-
lines of the Divine Image on the heart in regenera-
tion, and fills up the out-lines in sanctification.
According- to this view, the perfect image is not
formed until the great out- lines are filled up, and
the person cannot be properly a Christian until the
image is completed in sanctification.
But there is a different view, which we think is
more scriptural and rational. The Holy Spirit,
in regeneration, draws the perfect image of God
upon the heart in miniature, and in sanctification,
briniis it up to manhood. Thus the Bible explains
it: the blade, the ear, and full corn in the ear; the
germ was planted in the heart by the Holy Spirit,
and the grain was a complete grain ; before it sent
out its blade, it was not as laroe as when its blades
and stalk, and full corn were produced, but it had
\he nature of corn a.i perfectly in the grain as ia
10
114 S A N C T I F I C A T I O N .
fhe full ear. Another figure is used by inspiration,
the child, the young man, and the old man. Now,
in a child is there not every constituent part of an
old man ? has the old man any more members or
senses than the child 1 No ; but those senses are
matured, so that he can better discern good and
evil ; the perfect man has learned how to use his
members and senses for practical purposes, but the
child is as perfectly a human being as the old man,
but is not as perfect a man. The child has all
the parts of human nature, and to advanced life
there are no more members or senses created, but
those members and senses are enlarged and
strengthened; so with the spiritual child of God.
The Holy Spirit, in regeneration, begets all the
parts of the new man, and sanctification brings
them up to full stature. When the child dies, it
dies a human being, with all the members and
senses of the matured man; when the child of
God dies, if it be the hour of its birth, it carries
with it all the spiritual members and senses of the
old man in Christ: its knowledge and experience
are not so extensive, but its holiness and love are
as much the image of God as the old Christian.
It is the duty of every Christian to grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour.
Jesus Christ. Every natural child is furnished
with natural food, that it may grow therehy ; so
every child of God is furnished with spiritual food,
and the better the food is suited to the age and
SANCTIFICATION. 115
circumstances of the child, the better it thrives.
There are two grades of vitahty, the one is natural,
the other is spiritual ; the one is temporal, the
other is eternal: the child of God may die a
natural death, bat not a spiritual death; he may
die a temporal, but not an eternal death.
We are all, by nature, the children of the wicked
one ; but man's Creator, in his great compassion,
has arranged a beautiful plan by which we may
become his children. He first chose us to obtain
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died
for all mankind ; the Holy Spirit convinces all
men, and, by yielding to the Holy Spirit, in the
exercise of repentance and faith, we are justified
and are declared righteous, in view of the law in
heaven's court, and are sanctified and set apart lo
a state of glory by divine appointment; and by the
renewing influence of the Spirit our hearts are
renewed, and we are sanctified inherently. We
should therefore be careful to develop what we
feel, feel what we. believe, and believe the truth,
and the truth will make us free; for we are to be
sanctified through the truth. As God has been at
infinite pains to make us holy, that we might be
happy, may it be our concern to glorify God in
our bodies and spirits, which are his. The more
holy we live, the better we reflect the divine
image on the world, and the happier we are our-
selves.
J 16 • R I G 1 »\ A L S I iN
ON ORIGINAL SIN.
Nothing is more evident tlian that sin is in the
world. But how it entered has perplexed theolo-
gians, in every age and every pan of the world.
But too many have displayed more concern about
its introduction, than its destruction. They have
been curious as to the manner of its enterins: into
the world, but not much concerned about having
it taken away. All agree that it exists; and wis-
dom dictates that we should be united in one effort
to have it removed.
But although we should unite in the removal
of sin; yet it may not be improper to offer a iew
thoughts on its introduction, with due respect to
the opinions of others, who have so widely differed
on this perplexing question in theology.
" By one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; and so death has passed upon all
men, for that all have sinned." Romans v. 12.
And first, Adam, by creation, was a natural
head to all his posterity ; we having descended
from him, have inherited his nature, both mental
and physical. Secondly, Adam was a legal head,
by covenant or appointment ; and as such, his sin,
first sin, which was a breach of covenant, was
imputed to his posterity ; and all the evils under
which this world groans, both natural and moral.
> O R IG I N AL S 1 N . 117
may be traced to this cause ; a curse rests upon
all the family of Adam, and upon all things made
for his benefit and placed under his control. Now
the natural evils that prevail in the world, are the
fruits of sin, either personal or representative.
Some only admit of personal sin being the legal
cause of suffering : while others maintain the
imputaiion of representative sin as the cause of
fc;uffering, we believe that death or privation is a
legal punishment for sin, whether personal or
representative. Personal sin involves personal guilt,
and personal damnation ; and by personal sin, we
may justly suffer in the present world, as wel! as
in the world to come.
By personal sin, we may prolong our lives or
shorten them ; but by personal action, we cannot
avoid death. Natural death is the reward of sin,
but not of personal, but of representative sin — the
sin of Adam : for in Adam all die. Now the sin
of Adam, that brought death upon us all, considers
death brought upon us, by his sin, as a legal
punishment. See Rom. vi. 23 : " For the wages
of sin is death." Again, see Heb. ix. 27: "And
as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after
this the judgment." That appointment may be
found in Gen. ii. 17 : " But of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat ot
it : for in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt
surely die." Adam ate the forbidden fruit and
died ; and we die in him, or on account of that
118 ORIGINAL SIN. 9-
sin, which was a breach of covenant. Adam
sinned as a legal head ; and by that sin, the wiiole
race was to be blotted out, and Adam and Eve
only to exist as subjects of personal suffering.
Adam could no longer exist as a natural head,
because, as a legal head, he had involved death, by
a breach of covenant. But by the second Adam,
Jesus Christ, who is not a natural head to the
race of man, but a legal head, standing the trial of
the first Adam, and atoning for his sin, securing by
his representation, our personal being, by continuing
the first Adam on earth, not as a legal, but a
natural head. And we are introduced into the
world personally, inheriting all his properties ot
nature, natural and moral ; as our natural head,
depravity and mortality being brought on himself
and us, by a breach oi covenant, as our legal head.
Thirdly. But although all die in Adam, by the
imputation of his first sin ; yet his sin has not des-
troyed personal accountability. Personal account-
ability is moral ; and no positive institution will
ever be enjoined by God, that would infract moral
principle. "The soul that sinneth it shall die.''
The son shall not die for the iniquity of the father :
that is, shall not be charged with personal guilt,
for the sin of another.
Adam's sin was imputed to his posterity ; but
it was a representative sin ; and a representative
sin is always connnitted against a positive institu-
tion ; and no positive institution will be given, that
^^ OEi I G I N A L S J N . 119
will destroy moral principle. Personal account-
ability is moraJ. Adam's sin could involve his
race in a thousand evils ; and by it our world is
inundated with evil, moral and natural ; yet Adam's
sin could not involve personal guilt and personal
damnation. Everv man shall die for his own
iniquity. Now, as Adam's sin, as our legal head,
has brought upon his race a train of evils, natural,
moral, and spiritual, but yet has not destroyed
personal accountability, we may infer — had he not
broken covenant with God but kept his first
estate — that he would have continued, both as a
natural and legal head to his posterity ; and we
would have inherited his advantages, both natural
and legal ; we would have entered the world with
healthy bodies, and upright souls, and under legal
advantages far superior to his, while he was on
trial, not liable to temptations as he was. Yet
these advantages would not have destroyed per-
sonal accountability. We would have been required
to acquiesce in that arrangement or covenant,
by which he was constituted our legal head and
representative.
But since Adam, as our legal head, broke
covenant with God ; and we are depraved and
mortal, and our personal existence is by virtue of
the representation of Jesus Christ, the second
Adam, who is our head in law ; our acquiescence
personally is called for, in that covenant. Per-
sonal responsibility is not destroyed, by the repre-
120 ORIGINAL 6 I A' .
sentation of Christ. Every sinner must believe, or
accept that remedy for himself -Representative
advantages do not set aside personal accountability;
and Motvvithstandin" we have inherited Adam's
corrupt nature, and are surrounded by temptations
to sin ; yet, by the provisions of the new and well
ordered covenant, of which Christ is our legal
head, we are under no necessity to choose that
which is sinful. For the gospel, by the Holy
Spirit, and the means he has instituted, counteracts
our depravity, by enlightening our minds in the
knowledge of divine things ; and thus life, as well
as death, are set before the mind. And as the
mind can only feel guilt, when it has made a
wrong choice; and as the wrong is only discov-
ered by the right; if the mind did not apprehend
truth, it could not know falsehood. When, there-
fore, the mind feels guilty, it is because it has made
a wrong choice, in view of right. For we can
only determine the finite, by the Infinite. The
object or design of the gospel, in setting life before
the mind, is to direct and enable the sinner to make
a correct choice. If he choose life, he shall live;
but if, under these advantages, although he be a
sinner, he choose death, he shall die : he will be
personally guilty, and personally damned.
K E S U R K li C TI O N. J 21
ON THE RESURRECTION.
The resurrection of the body, belongs to the
toiiiidation on which the Church is biiik, and is
an important part of it. 1 Cor, xv. 16, 17 ; "For
if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised ; and
if Christ be not raised, jour faith is vain ; ye are
yer in your sins." Again, see 20th verse ; '* But
now is Christ risen from the dead, and become
the first fruits of them that slept." But as the
doctrine is mysterious, and lies beyond human
reason, we will offer a few arguments to sustain it;
for although it be mysterious, it is not absurd, and
therefore, can be sustained by argument.
And first: The resurrection of the body, being
a part of human identity, is desirable. It is so,
not only as relates to one, but as every man
belongs to the same race of beings, it is also desi-
rable, as relates to the great whole; every human
being is tenacious of his person — body as well as
soul ; and as the body must die, there is great
solicitude felt that it should rise again, and rise in
a better state than it now enjoys. The individual
not only desires his body, to be united with the
soul for ever, but he has many friends he desires to
meet in full person — body as well as soul — and
whose personal • pre^encs as well as personal
1 1
122 RESURRECTION.
friendship, \\\\\ afford pleasure. We conclude,
the resurrection is desirable, being founded in the
constitution of man, whici) affords an argument in
its favor.
Secondly: It is possible. When we view the
infinite wisdom, almighty power, &c., of the
Creator of man, shall we think it incredible, that
God should raise the dead I He who gave him
being at first, can he not as easily raise the body
from the dust, as he could form it out of the dust.
Thirdly: It is probable tint a God who has
given man being under such favorable circum-
stances, will raise him from the dead. From all
we know of ourselves, as the workmanship of God,
and from what we know of him, is it not probable
that God will raise the dead.
Fourthly : It is certain there shall be a resurrec-
tion, both of the just and unjust. Tlie Bible
places the doctrine beyond controversy ; text after
text might be quoted in its favor; but we will not
insert them at this time ; let the doubtful mind read
the Bible.
Fifthly : The doctrine is a provision of the
Gospel. It is in the Gospel that life and inmior-
taiity are brought to ligiit: our resurrection is
founded on the resurrection of Jesus Christ; and
His resurrection is founded on his death ; and his
death on his voluntary consent to take our place,
in law. 'J' here shall be a resurrection, both of
the just and unjust; the whole human family will
R E S U R R E C T I O N. 1-23
rise, small iuui great. Then Christ rose for all ;
and if He rose for all. He must have died for
all ; and if He died for all, He musi have
consented to do so; and if he consented to do
so, it must have been because the law required
it; and if the law required it, God the Father,
who is the conservator of the God-head, must
have given him up to take the sinner's place
in law : and in Him chose the human family to
obtain salvation; and He, Jesus Christ, is the
Saviour of all men ; especially of those that believe.
And as he consented to die for all men, and rose
ao-ain from the dead for all men, so He was
appointed the Judge of quick and dead, and we
nmst all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ,
to answer for the improvement of all the advan-
lajres secured us bv His intervention. He has
secured advantages for all men, and therefore, all
men nmst stand before the Judgment seat of Christ.
Sixthlv : The manner of the resurrection.
Whether the same body will arise, or a body at
9II — onlv something: aerial — has been controverted.
This matter can only be settled by the Bible.
And first: Christ rose with the very same body
He died with ; and the body that died, was the
same that was born of t!ie Virgin Mary.
Second: He shall change our v'de bodies, that
thev may be fashioned like unto His glorious body.
His bodv became more glorious, when His work
of humiliaticm was completed; but it was the
] 24 R K S U K R K C T I O iN .
same body. His transfiguration was designed and
calculated to show die disciples the glor^ ol' an iin-
uiortal body, and was the most striking development
of immortality ever beheld; and our bodies shall be
like the glorious body of Christ; yet tlie same
body. Every man, therefore, in the resurrection,
shall have liis own body : the saint will not inherit
the body of the sinner.
Spiritual bodies, freed from the power of all the
laws of organic matter. They will not hunger,
nor thirst, nor be weary. They will have no ten-
dency to the centre of matter, by the laws of gravi-
tation, as the present body has. But this mortal
shall put on immortality : the same body that was
mortal shall put on immortality, and death shall be
swallowed up in victory. We are not to expect
all the particles that belong to this body, when it
dies; or belonged to it in all its mutations, in its
short history of mortality. This is not desirable,
but the resurrection of the body is desirable, and
this is sustained.
Seventhly : The character of the resurrection.
Morally, the resurrection of the body, is founded
on the resurrection of Christ : but the character of
the resurrection, will turn on personal responsi-
bility. They that have done good, shall come
forth to the resurrection of life, a capability of
higher enjoyments; and they that have done evil,
to the resurrection of damnation, a capability of
deeper misery. We cannot, by personal effort,
BAPTISM. 125
escape tlie resurrection. We must rist, whether
we are good or bad; but we can escape, by
personal effort, a resurrection of damnation, and
may come forth to the resurrection of life.
ON BAPTISM.
Without any preliminary remarks, we explain
Baptism to mean the application of one thing to
another, with a view to cleanse, purify, or set apart
to some particular use ; and it expresses the thing-
done, and not the mode of doing it. Whether the
thing applied be water, blood, fire, or spirit, to either
body or mind, the application of one thing to
another is done to cleanse, purify, or set apart to
some particular purpose or use; and this is baptism.
With this explanation, let us notice all the texts, or
most of them, which speak of baptism.
And first, the baptism of the children of Israel
to Moses in the cloud and in the sea; see 1 Cor,
X. 2. The miracles wrought at the Red Sea, called
baptism, were designed to set apart the children of
Israel to obey Moses as their leader.
2nd. Jesus Christ was baptized by John: See
the connection, as recorded bv the Evangelist?.
God gave to Moses a shadow of Christ's priesthood,
which WHS to be confined to the familv of Aaron
126 BAPTISM.
and tribe of Levi, John was of the above family
and tribe, and was specially appointed to prepare
the way of the Lord. In tiie discharjje of his duty,
he made a transfer of the Levitical priesthood, of
vvliich he was one, to Jesus Christ, who, according
to the flesh, was of the tribe of Judah, and tlius
the shadow was transferred to the substance. And
the baptism John administered to Christ, was not
designed to perpetuate the Levitical priesthood, but
to put an end to it, by transferring the Levitical
priesthood to Christ, and thus to set him apart to
close the whole sacrificial dispensation, by the
offering of himself once for sin. He acted as the
priest; He ofifered himself: and, from (he time of
his offering, the shadow fled away; and God has
not required any of Aarons family, or Levi's tribe,
to offer the blood of any victim for sin. The
shadow has fled; Aaron hys aside his robe; and
the Jewish altar ceases to smoke with the blood of
slain beasts for sin. By one offering, and that
himself, and by himself, he *' finished transgression,
and to make an end of sins." Four thousand
years of darkness had covered the world. Txpes
and shadows had pointed to the great anti-tvpe
and substance. Men had officiated as priests.
But when the Truth or substance of all the types
makes his appearance, who is a priest for ever,
after the order of Melchizedec, and not after the
order of Aaron; Aaron transfers all his authority
to Christ in the act of baptism.
BAPTISM. 127
3rd Christ was baptized with blood or suffering.
**I have a baptism to be l)aptized vvitli; and iiovv
am I straitened till it be accomplished ?" This
baptism set him apart to make intercession for us:
He entered the holy place, that is, heaven, by his
own blood.
4ih. John's baptism with water was designed, in
addition to his transferring llie Levitical priestjiood
to Christ, which was but the shadow of his
priesthood, who is a priest for ever after the order
of Melchizedec, to set apart the Jewish nation to
receive the gospel. He therefore baptized them
to repentance, sayin«, that they should believe on
him that should come after bin), tiiat is, on Christ
Jesus.
5th. He [Christ] shall baptize with the Holy
Ghost at)d with tire. The Apostles were set apart,
who were unlearned men, by the baptism of the
Holy Ghost, to preach the gospel in every man's
tongue,
6th. The Christian baj)tism, the application of
water by an authorized minister to a iit subject, in
the name of the Faiher, Son and Holy Ghost
This baptisu). which is but an outward sii;n o\ uu
inward grace or baptism, sets the subject apart to
membership in the visible Church.
7th. Spiritual baptism, which sets an individual
apart to membership in the invisible Church. 'Ibis
(»aptism ujeans to cleanse, puiilV. or spt aparr lo
some particular use. We think it unsafe to make
128 BAPTISM.
baptism mean immersion or any mode of doing the
thing. John baptized with water. There must
be some mode of doing every thing, and often
many modes ; but there is a striking difference
between the thing done and the mode of doing it.
John baptized with water, not in water. Christ
baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, not in the
Holy Ghost and fire. The children of Israel were
baptized and not immersed. The Egyptians were
immersed and not baptized. Christ should baptize
with the Holy Ghost and fire — not fire literally —
but, as fire is a purifying element when apphed to
matter, so a holy influence applied to the soul
cleanses, purifies, and sets it apart to membership in
the invisible Church. To be baptized with the
Holy Ghost and fire, and to be born of the water
and Spirit, seem to mean the same thing: fire has
a purifying influence, so has water; and both fire
and water represent the purifying influence of the
Holy Ghost. The Spirit or Holy Ghost applies a
purifying, a holy influence to the heart. The text
does not surely mean a literal apphcation of either
fire or water to the body with a view to cleanse
the soul, but a spiritual application of a holy
influence by the Holy Ghost to cleanse, purify, and
set the soul apart to the service of God. We
would not pretend to say the mode constitutes
the thing, or that the mode of doing and the
thing done are the same. The thing done is
baptism;, the mode of doing it is something else.
B A P T I S M . 129
But as baptism must be done in some mode, and
as water baptism is only the sign of the Spirit's
baptism, we can safely say, tlie baptism of the
Spirit is administered by pouring.
See Acts i. 5 — "For John truly baptized with
water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy
Ghost, not many days he-nee," In explanation of
the baptism of the Holy Ghost, see Acts ii. 17, 18:
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith
God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, &c.
And on my servants and on my hand-maidens 1
will pour out, in those days, of my Spirit," &c.
The latter, therefore, explains the mode of baptism
by the Holy Ghost, mentioned in the foregoing.
Baptism, as we have explained, means the thing
done, and not the mode of doing it. Yet as some
mode is necessary in doing all things, some mode
must be observed in administering baptism. And
as the Bible has not expressly revealed the mode,
we are left to infer that pouring is a proper mode
of application; for it cannot be wrong to apply
water to the body in Christian baptism, in the same
mode the soul is baptized by the Holy Ghost.
130 THL SABBATH
THE SABBATH.
I find it vvritteu, " Ye shall keep my Sabbaths,
kiid reverence uiy sanctuary : 1 am the Lord."
Lev. xix. 30.
The Sabbath and Sanctuary are standing
monuments of important facts, recorded in ihe
book of God, and they are also valuable emblems
of things to come; and, as such, ought to be
sacredly regarded by man. Tlie Sabbath is a
memorial of the creation of the world, and the
resurrection of Christ; and those who would blot
(jut the Sabbath, would erase the finger of God
from creation, and say with the fool, There is no
God. The Sabbath ought not only to be kept as
one of seven days, but should be kept holy to the
Lord. We are commanded to labor six days for
the benefit of our bodies ; and the day called the
Sabbath, for the benefit of souls, by devoting it
exclusively to the service of God, for his glory and
our good, our spiritual edification and comfort.
God has appointed a weekly Sabbath, and, under
the Jewish economy, he appointed other days,
called Sabbaths, to commemorate important events.
Whatever God has appointed must be sacredly
regarded by us — " Thou shalt keep my Sabbaths."
While the Sabbath enjoins certain duties, it also
forbids every thought, word, and action, being
THE SABBATH. 131
performed on the Lord's day, which would divert
our minds tVoni the service of God. We ail aj^ree
that it forbids all kinds of manual labor, except
works of necessity and mercy. But how many
of us. have learned to promote our worldly interest
on the Lord's day, by other arrangements than
manual labor, VVordly interest is promoted, and
the niiiid called off from the service of God by
barjiain ujaking. on the Sabbath; a journey is to be
taken; Sabbath is the day, or one of the days
visits must be paid; friends must be seen ; Sabbath
is the day the social party is formed; all the
subjects of conversation are demoralizing, and
calculated to banish thoughts of God, and to inflate
the soul with pride and vanity : and thus the
object of the Sabbath is lost. We have some-
times known the house of God to be almost
forsaken; the family must stay at home to enter-
tain company, when all ou^ht to have been at
Church, the family and company. We have
generallv found the poor more careful to keep the
Sabbnth than the rich ; yet sometimes the poor
plead their poverty for breaking the Sabbath — we
have to work hard all the week, and have no other
lime for pleasure or friendly visits, but Sunday ;
and we tnust go. Would it not be a kind act lor
the men of this world, when they find the member
of the Church desecrating the Sabbath, to
admonish them not to break the Sabbath, that they
ought to be at home instructing their families, or
132 THE SABBATH.
at the Church m Sabbath School, prayer meeting,
or at preaching, endeavoring to build up Zion, by
provoking their fellow-citizens to love and good
works. We should keep the Sabbath holy, not
only because it is monumental, but also because
it is emblematic of our eternal rest in the kingdom
of God — " there remaineth therefore a rest to the
people of God," and they that keep the Sabbath,
keep that rest in view ; and they who keep the
Lord's Sabbath on earth, will keep the eternal
Sabbath. But those who want no Sabbath in
this world, will have none in the next ; they will
be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
But 2ndly : We must reverence the Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary is a holy or sanciiiied place, as ist.
the Holy of Holies, where the Ark and its appur-
tenances, and the cloud representing the divine
glory, stood ; Lev. iv. 6. The whole Jewish
Temple is called the Sanctuary. Any place
appointed for the public worship of God is the
Sanctuary, the place where God dwells, and under
the gospel dispensation, wherever his people meet to
worship, there is a house for God. Our houses of
public worship, built and dedicated to him, are his
Sanctuary ; it is God's house, He is the proprietor,
and is represented as dwelling in it; and those
who go to the Sanctuary, go there to worship God.
We should be respectful, in our outward deport-
ment, in the hoivse of God ; if it be the duty of the
young to bow before the hoary head and honor
THE SABBATH. 133
the old man, we should all bow hefore God, ou
approaching his house, and honor him by taking
ofiour hats at the door of his house, and enter
into his presence with deep humility. When
services are opened, we should take an active part
in them, and not sit there like statues, or by
whispering, talking and laughing, tell God we
have no reverence for his name, and tell (by the
fool's eye) the whole congregation, that we do
not know how to behave ourselves in the house
of God. We think it indecorous to come into
the house of God with hats on, and as soon as
service is over, and sometimes before the benedic-
tion is pronounced, pick up hats, and sometimes
we have seen, to our niortitication, cigars lighting
up, hats putting on, loud talk and perhaps loud
laughter, all in the house of God; and perhaps
too, after a solenm sermon, where probably serious
mourners have knelt at the altar of prayer.
Preachers and people should be careful how
they enter the house of God ; the whole service
should be orderly and solemn, and the same care
should be taken when we close it. We should
close the service respectfully, and not destroy all
the good that might have been done during the
sermon, by irreverence at the close. Nothing
tells to more advantage, on the intelligence and
piety of a people, than their behavior in the house
of God, The old saying is true — the state of the
people is known by the state of the temple. An
134
ON MISSIONS.
iudifTereiir lionso, indiffereiirly kept tor the worship
of (i()(l, more strikinjiiv discovers a want of interest
as well as good taste: and ahhongh we woidd l)e
far from extravagance, as to the iionse and its
furniture, yet all houses of worship ought to he
decently kept, and gravity should mark the house
in all its departments. The people should strive
ahove all things, in this world, to he decorous iii
the house of God.
But there may be an orderly congregation, in
view of men, and yet the heart may not be right
in the sight of God; and all the service iti His
sio^ht mav he disorderly, for the want of the true
spirit of reliijion. God is a S|)irit ; let this always
be borne in mind bv the worshipper; and they
that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and
in truth : in spirit, in opposition to form ; in truth,
in opposition to error.
ON MISSIONS.
Our Church is not doing all she could to promote
the cattse of Christ, in our great missionarv-field,
the Valley of the Mississippi, and in the whole
world, which is a missionary-field, and now white
to harvest. Some are doinii but little for want of
system, as they say, in our Church. Now I do not
say we have the best system : I believe it can be
ON MISSIONS. 135
greatly improved ; but if it be improved, it must be
done practicnlly. We must operate on tbe capital
we bave, or it will nor increase; we must reduce
to practice, or it will not likely be bettered. 'J'lie
best address ever delivered on cliarity, is a practical
address. "Be ye warmed and filled," will not
warm and fill.
Our system will do, until, by practice, we learn
better. Our Constitution authorises the pastoral
relation and missionary plan. The plan is laid
down, by which the pastoral relation is formed.
A Church that wants a pastor, and a minister who
wants a settlement, as pastor, have a plain system
of operation before them. Let the minister devote
Iiis time to pastoral duties. Let the Church sustain
him by prayer, and by all other means that ma\ be
necessary; and the Lord will give the increase.
But although the system of operation is plain and
good ; yet, if the preacher and the peo[)le neglect
duty, the Church cannot be sustained. If a pastor
wants to serve the people, he can do it; and if the
people wish to give to the preacher, it they icill
give, nothing shall be lost for want of form.
Our Assembly is a Missionary Society; it has its
Missionary Board; there are and will be regular
channels to that Board; and that Board, so soon
as it has funds for either Foreign or Doujestic
missions, will endeavor, so far as it has men and
means, to sustain or aniply occupy every important
station.
136 ON MISSIONS.
Synods are all Missionary Societies; let tliem he
auxiliary to the parent Society. Presbyteries are
also Missionary Societies; let the Presbyteries
provide for their part of the great field, and aid
the Parent Society. Congregations are Missionary
Societies, let them see that their own congregation
is supplied with all the means of salvation, and
also aid the destitute.
Every uidividual member of the Church should
feel bound to aid the whole ; in so doing he sustains
himself as well as others. Now, my brethren, let
us improve our system pi'actically ; let us go to
work with the system and means w^e have. A
minister was once called on to preach to a benevo-
lent institution a sermon ; his last proposition was
to deliver a practical argument on charity. When
he came to that division of his subject, he put his
hand in his pocket and pulled out the money,
saying the poor had been starved by speculative
benevolence; he proposed to treat it practically:
" Give me your money, and I shall say no
more."
The policy that is wanting in our Church, and
in every Church, is practical policy. We want
missionaries in all parts of our country. In Cities
and Towns, where we have no Churches nor
preachers, our Board of domestic missions, as well
as foreign, is ready to receive all money that may
be sent, and make as wise an appropriation of it as
possible. Let individuals Societies. Presbyteries,
O- N MISSIONS. 137
and all others direct their money to the Treasurer
of the Assembly's Board ot Domestic and Foreign
Missions of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church,
at Lebanon, Wilson county, Tenn. The contribu-
tions of concert prayer-meetings will be received
and appropriated. Will we not resolve that, in
addition to our own Chmxhes, Presbyteries, &c.,
we will every year send something to aid the
Board, in sending to the destitute, and where our
Church is not planted.
The way is open, and where there is a will
there is a way. Solomon remarks, that through
much weariness, the building decayeth ; and through
idleness of the hands, the house droppeth through.
A lazy man is almost always out of work, as well
as of means : an industrious man can always find
so met bins: to do.
My brethren, if we are really disposed to
work, there is work enough to be done. Let us
go to work practically; and if we have but two
mites, it will be much in God's esteem. But let us
remember, it is practical work that is wanted to be
done. We may think of doing good, and do
nothing. May the Ijord rouse us all up to suitable
action, for the time is at hand, when the Judge
of all the earth will say, " Come, ye blessed
of my Father; for I was an hungered, and ye
gave me meat,'' &c. ; not that you thought ye
would, but that ye did feed me. He that wishes
to aid ihe cause of inissions. can fuul a wav to do
138 ON MISSIONS.
it. Tlieie is money euougli in our Ciiurcli to
sustain a missionary in every important place in
our bounds, and aid tlie foreign lield, l)esides
sustaining the pastoral relation in many congrega-
tions, it* our brethren would encourage practical
pohcy. By sustaining pastors at home and mi.s-
sionaries abroad, the work of God would prosper
better amongst us, and our ministers, who could
bie tempted by money, to leave our Church, would
be guarded against such temptations. But who
among«^t us. who have been born again in our
church, could be tempted to sell their birth-right
for a mess of red pottage, or their Master for
thirtv j)ieces of s'lver?
Other denominations may solicit funds from our
Church to assist their treasury, and with that money
attempt to buy up the ministers of our Church, and
send them out into tiieir own field. But let us not
find fault with others, but endeavor, as Rev. John
Wesley once said to his brethren, let us out-preach,
out-pray, and out-hve all others. And let us excel
all others in bringing all the resources and energies
of our ('hurch to sustain the cause of Christ.
MORE MINISTERS WANTED- 139
THE CHURCH WANTS MORE
MINISTERS
OF THE RIGHT STAJMP.
An uncalled, unsent, unholy, and unfaithful
niinisrrv, is the Ciiurch's greatest curse, A ministry
called and sent of God, holy and faithf d, is the
Church's greatest blessing. The middle of the
19th century needs not only more preachers, hut
preachers qualified for the peculiar lahor of this
age — men apt to teach, patient, who will not hold
their peace day nor night; wise to win souls, who
know how to behave themselves in the house of
Goil — men who know how rightly to divide the
word of truth, giving to each their portion in due
season, prudent, faithful, humble, holy, zealous,
watchful — men who will hazard their lives,
fortunes, and every thing in this world, for Christ's
sake and the salvation of souls — men who will
seek to please God rather than men, and who will
seek to please other men rather than themselves,
who will preach Jesus, the Lord, and not them-
selves — men whose hearts feel, whose eyes weep,
and whose heads are fountains of water — men who
are devoted to the cause of God, and not afraid
^o lift up their voices like a triim[)t^t, and show the
140 MORE M I N I S T E K S WAN V E D
liouse of Israel tlieir sins — men who will warn
sinners to flee the wrath to come, while it is yet to
come, who will take mouthfuls of the threatened
wrath of God, and pour it upon the wicked, who
shall he turned into hell — men who will be instant
in season and out ofseason, who will exhort and
rebuke with all long-suffering and doctrine, who
will teach publicly, and from house to house —
men who know how to comfort the feeble-minded,
to support the weak, and to be patient toward all
men — men who will exemplify what they preach,
preach what they feel, feel what they beheve, and
believe the truth — men born of God, called of
God, filled with the Holy Ghost, and clothed with
salvation. Then the saints will shout aloud for
joy. Men, wise as serpents and harmless as doves
— men who can endure with the ox, soar with the
eagle, roar with the lion, reason with the man, and
love with the angel — men who weep between the
porch and the altar, and who will stand between
the living and the dead — men who will endure
hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, esteeming
the reproaches of Christ greater riches than all the
treasures of Egypt — men who esteem Jerusalem
above their chief joy, and who will only glory in
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Men of the
above character will show sinners the way of life ;
they will take Zion by the hand ; they will feed
the flock of God, taking the oversight thereof, not
by constraint, but willingly, not for fijthv lucre but
OF THE RIGHT STAMP. l4l
of a ready mind. And when tlie chief Shepherd
shall aj)pear, they shall receive a crown of glory
that fadeth not away, and will present a holy flock
before the Son of Man, at his appearing. They
that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the
firmament ; and they that turn many to righteous-
ness as the stars, for ever and ever.
May the great Head of the Church raise up
men, eminently qualified to meet the wants of the
Church and the world, the next half century.
Men who will bless the next generation, must
enter the sacred office with thoughts that breathe,
and words that burn with living fire.
The fields are large and white to harvest, and
the Macedonian cry is heard from almost every
quarter, "Come over and help ns," or send us
help. The laborers are few — the Lord of the
harvest should be appealed to, with great fervor
and importunity by the Church for more laborers —
the prayer to be successful, must be attended with
correspondino; efforts. Institutions of learning
must be sustained by the Church, and particularly
when young men for the ministry can be aided in
their high profession. To aid young men
preparing for the ministry, not only personal effort
should be made, but education associations should
bo formed; a congregation, a Presbytery should
aid all the young men, candidates for the ministry,
who need aid, to receive an education, and send
them to some good institution capable of quTtlitying
142 MORE MINfSTRRS WANTED.
them to come up fully to our excellent staudard,
and as nuicli farther as circumstances may jiistify.
The first duty of the Church, in supplying the
fields white already to harvest, is to pray the Lord
of the harvest, who alone has the right to call
laborers, to call a full supply for the field.
The second duty is to aid them to obtain that
education necessary, if they have not obtained it,
and have not the means themselves. Education
societies should be formed, and to sustain them is
the third step the Church should take. The
fourth step should be to form Home and Foreign
missionary societies, as well as the congregational
call, to sustain those that God may call and qualify
for the work. All these steps taken by our
Church, the Macedonian cry will be responded to
in the true spirit of the gospel, and ministers will
go in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of
Christ; men will be sent to preach the gospel,
wiih ihe Holv Ghost sent down from heaven, and
the harvest of the earth will be gathered. The
University at Lebanon will afford all the aid it
can: the tuition of young men for the ministry
shall be gratis. A lecture on some branch of
theology shall be gratis, once a week. 'J'he
Church and citizens of Lebanon w ill aid, and are
doing what they can. Let the Church abroad,
as well as here, pray and contribute of their
means as God has prospered them, and the work-
will advance.
•CHE C H t; R u n WANTS MOTHERS. 143
Our system of doctrines will do; the consti-
tution oi our Church will do; hut we want men
of great energy of cliaracter in sufficient numhers,
to^seud ioto all the world, to aid other Christian
denominations in the world's conversion.
Our Church is purely American. Its doctrines
more conservative, or as much so as any other,
and therefore well calculated to hasten the
millennial glory of the Church of Christ.
THE CHURCH WANTS MOTHERS.
The Church not only needs more ministers of
the right stamp, hut ^she wants mothers to train up
children for the Church. It is said, when France
was involved in national difficulties, some ladies
were in conversation together on that subject; and
the conclusion was, that France needed mothers
to train up sons for the defence of their country.
Bonaparte heard the remark, and directed the
mothers of France to train up their sons under
the sound of the drum, and other instruments of
music, with a view to inspire them in early life
with martial skill and military ardor. The result
was that he soon had an invincihle army to defend
his country. It has been said, they that rock the
cradle govern the %\-orld. If so. and we think it
144 THE CHURCH W A N 1 S MQ T H ^ II S .
pretty correct, the Church wants mothers- to
inspire the children with a niissionary spirit in *
early life. The field the Church has to cultivate,
is large; the country she has to incorporate is
extensive ; the enemies she has to conquer are
many and powerful. She wants ministers of
the right stamp; and mothers must aid, by
inspiring a love for Christ and souls in the hearts
of their sons. Let them talk to their children
about the wretched condition of the world, the
love of God, the death of Christ for the world,
the Holy Spirit's influence on the world, and the
high commission given to men — " Go ye into all
the world and preach the gospel to every creature,"
with the promise made, " Lo, I am with you
alway, even to the end of the world." And above
all, let mothers loan their Samuels to the Lord, as
long as they live ; let them pray the Lord of the
harvest to send laborers into his harvest. And, if
he should call their sons, aid them in obtaining a
suitable education, make their coats, and furnish
them, as far as possible, with every thing in their
power, so that they may minister before the Lord.
How many mothers, at an early period, inspire
their sons with prejudice and opposition to religion,
and the office of the holy ministry. They tell
their sons, that the office is not honorable, not
lucrative, much labor and little profit. You must
not think of being a preacher. Other employ-
ments and professions are more reputable and
THE C H fJ R C U \y ANTS Y, O T H E R S . 145
pr()fital)le. Look at the merchant, the poli-
tician, the lawyer, the doctor. Strive, my son,
to be something, and do not throw yourself away.
Your parentage is too respectable, your endow-
ments too rich, your talents too great, and mind
too noble, to engage in such an unprofitable
employnient as the gospel ministry. And thus, no
doubt, mothers, who ought to aid the church, hang
as dead weights on the wheels of Zion, and are
keeping back many whom the Lord would send.
Oh! ye mothers in Israel, have you dedicated your
children to God I Train them up to be his.
And although vou have not the right to call them
to the work of the holy ministry ; yet you can,
and you ought to train them up to the Lord's
service. And although you cannot call them to
the work, yet for want of your aid, many whom
the Lord calls may be kept back. And were the
sons of the Church dedicated to God, and trained
up with a spirit of Christian enterprise, the Lord of
the harvest would call more ; and those called
would meet with more aid, might be sooner in the
field, and better laborers.
Mothers in the Church, let me say a word to
you before I close. You may have overlooked
the importance of the office to which God may
have called your sons; and for which you should
train them. The office is paramount to all others.
" He that winneth souls is wise." Should the
Lord call your Samuels, ho will put honor upon
13
I IG THE c II u K c n u a is t s s i s t e i; s ,
you the world can never give. Train up your
sons early to love the Saviour, to love souls. And
may your sons, whom God may call, raise the flag
of mercy, in view of many dying sinners, he a
comfort to you, a blessing to others, and die at
their posts.
THE CHURCH WANTS MORE
SISTERS.
When the Lord Jesus Christ sent out his
ministers or disciples, "Peter said to him, we
have left all and followed thee." Mark x. 28, 29,
30 ; " And Jesus answered and said. Verily I say
unto you. There is no man that hath left house, or
brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife,
or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's,
but he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this
time; houses, and brethren, and sisters, and
mothers, and children, and lands, with persecution,
and in the world to come eternal life." The
ministers of Christ are promised sisters as well as
other friends ; and at this time, when the Church
needs so many faithful preachers, and the Lord is
raising up young men, who are forsaking all, I
hope for Christ's sake and the gospel's; the
Church needs sisters who will fee! interested for
THE C H U II C H W A .\ T S SIS i' E II S , 147
tlie cause o( God. Moses' sisters helped liim,
Paul's aided liim, and the present ministers want
sisters to help them ; sisters who will pray for
them. Sisters of Lehanon, your influence can be
felt, not only in this congregation and town, hut
as so many youths are thrown amongst you from
a distance, for educational purposes; and many
froui a distance preparing for the holy ministry,
your influence will be felt afar offj and through all
time. In addition to your closet prayers, and
your prayers at the family altar, (for you are not
forbidden to pray there, and many of the best
sisters of the Church have prayed with their
families — the writer of this had a mother who
praved regularly in the absence of the father, and
her prayers were .seldom offered without tears
from her eyes, and the eyes of her children,) your
social prayers, united, fervent, faithful prayers will
be heard at the court of heaven, and answered in
blessings rich and profuse upon the Church and
the world. But in addition to your prayers,
nmch good may be done by your counsel, example,
and the labor of your hands ; many weak
Churches and poor people, have been aided by
the hands of devoted females. Sisters of Lebanoi),
you are doing much, not only by prayer, but by
the labor of your hands, I trust ; but can you not,
by a united effort do hiore ] United, you would
provoke one another to love and good works, and
accomplish mor" for others. Seek out some
] 4S T H s f: h I n c n w a n t s s i s t k r s .
honevoleur oliJHct, some needy person, to wlioni
voiir own hands could minister, and let it be said
in the day ot" eternity, by those to wliom } ou liave
ministered, when you shall meet in the streets of
jjlory, these are the hands that ministered to me in
the town of Lebanon or elsewliere, in yonder
world. Sisters, your united efforts would provoke
all around you to love and j>;ood works. Let me
remark, in conclusion, that if all the preachers and
lay members of the Church in Lebanon, fathers
atid mothers, brothers and sisters, w'ere doing what
they could to honor God and save souls, io;norance
and crime would blush to be seen in our streets
every sinner would Tepent and turn to God, or
leave the place ; and our friends at a distance,
wiio love their children, would have cause to
praise God for ever, for the blessings bestowed on
their children who were sent to Lebanon, in
whose happiness the sisters took such an active
part.
The tender hearted sisters will pardon the free-
dom I have used in calling on them to help the
Church. She cannot live without your aid on
earth, and her bliss would be incomplete in
heaven, if you were not actively employed there.
ON C II U R C }I DOCTRINES. 149
LETTER ON CHURCH DOCTRLNES.
Addressed to the Editor of the Cumberland Presbyterian.
I TAKE all the periodicals of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, weekly and monthly, and a
few short articles have appeared in them from my
pen ; but I do not recollect of having written any
thing to you to fill the columns of the Cumber-
land Presbyterian. 1 have had many thoughts of
doing so, but they have gone like the morning
cloud and earlv dew. But this mornino; the Rev.
Mr. Lindley and myself, in conversation about
old Tennnle, revived some thoughts which I will
send you for publication, if you think proper.
And first, my mind turned on the providence of
God, that gave birth to the Cumberland Presbyte-
rian Church. She was not brought forth by a
spirit of faction. No opposition was entertained
to the mother Church as a cause of her orij^in. She
loved her mother, and would have willingly staid
under her roof had she not spurned her from her
bosom. But for what was she thrown from a
mother's arms \ Not heresy, immorality, or contu-
macy, for she was never convicted of either.
But the providence of God that gave rise to the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church in your country
occupied my mind, and with thoughts on that
subject the balance of my sheet will be filled.
150 ON CHURCH IXJ (J T II I N E s .
Early in 1831, if I mistake not, a vacant
congregation of the Presbyterian Church on
Upper Tenmile, Washington county, Pa., Laving
seen in Buciv's Tlieological Dictionary, a succinct
account of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church,
by their Session, directed one or two of their
members to write to some member of the Cumber-
land Presbyterian Church. At the General
Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church,
in May, 1831, Dr. Cossit laid before that body a
letter or two from that country, requesting some one
or more ministers of the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church to visit them. Whereupon the Assembl}'
appointed Rev. Messrs. Alexander Chapman,
John Morgan, A. M. Bryan, Reuben Burrow, and
R. Donnell to visit that country. Those brethren
appointed to hold a Camp Meeting on Tenmile,
Washington county, Pa., the third Sabbath of
September following, if the people were willing
to do so. They parted in Nashville in May.
Chapman. Morgan, and Bryan, soon after started,
and travelling and preaching through Kentucky
and Ohio, reached their destination perhaps some
time in July. Burrow and Donnell passed through
Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, and part of
Maryland, crossing the Alleghany Mountains, on
the Cumberland Road, and met their brethren on
Saturday, before the third Sabbath in September,
according to appointment, in a large encampment
on Tenmile, Washinoion countv, Pa. I then
ON CHUKCH i')()C r R I N KS. 151
felt, and jet fed, tlie Lord directed tliat mission.
Wiien I survey the ground over which I travelled,
in that country, and remember the kind reception
we met wirh, the many warm hearts and weeping
eyes we left behind, when we bid farewell to that
land, we could wish ourselves standing in your
midst once more. But this wish may never be
met, until we meet in heaven. To that land may
all our hearts aspire and our faces be set !
The doctrines first preached amongst you are,
we presume, preached still — a system calculated
to give God all the glory, and yet to save the
veriest sinner of Adam's family who believes in
the Lord Jesus Christ, I will close with a brief
summary of the Doctrines : —
1st. The Unity of God. 2dly. The Trinity of
God. Srdly. His perfections, divided into three
classes; 1st. His moral, which constitute a rule of
action. 2dly. His natural wisdom and power,
which constitute an agent. Srdly. Those perfec-
tions which convey to our mind, an idea of the
degree in which he possesses the rule and power
of action. He is infinite, eternal, and unchange-
able in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice,
goodness and truth.
4. Man was created upright, but fell from that
holy and happy estate, into an estate of sin and
misery.
5. God graclouslv chose all mankind to a day
of probation in Christ, and [)ersonal election turns
162 ON CHURCH D C T Jl I ^ E S .
on sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the
truth.
6. Jesus Christ is both divine and human — two
distinct natures and one person for ever.
7. He died for all men. As many as were
elected to a day of probation, were atoned for by
tbe Son.
8. The Holy Spirit convinces the world, and
operates on as inany as were atoned for, and as
many as were elected. All were atoned for,
because the Father had chosen all to obtain salva-
tion through Jesus Christ.
9. Conviction is the result of Divine operation.
10. Repentance.
11. Faith in Christ.
12. Justification.
13. Adoption.
14. Regeneration.
15. Sanctification.
16. Glorification.
17. The resurrection of the dead, both of the
just and unjust.
18 A day of judgment and a state of ivJure
rewards and punishments.
And now, my dear brother, as I may never
more see you, or any of the dear people who read
your valuable paper, let me exhort you all to stand
fast in the faith — quit yourselves lik^ men — 'te
strong. The Church in that country must act
defensively. Sustain your own ground, W\t be not
ON CHURCH DOCTRINES. 153
contented with defence alone. You must operate
aggressively; jpu must pull down strongholds of
sin and Satan : jou must strive for Church
extension, and when you lengthen your .cords
you must strengthen your stakes. There is
much land yet to be possessed; and while you
are defending your own ground, and building up
your own Church, always he ready to extend the
hand of Christian friendship, to all who are doing
the work of Christ, as ye also do. You must not
be inattentive to Education, that excellent hand-
maid of the Church. The old saying is true,
they that rock the cradle govern the world, and
they that teach the children will church them.
Do not think if you are inattentive to schools,
you can hold up your Churches. Your people
must take an active part in the labor and expenses
of schools, and so with your ministers ; and never
believe you can serve God with that which costs
you nothing.
Finally, brethren, farewell! Be perfect, be of
good comfort, be of one mind. Live in peace,
and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Work with God, and work with one another.
154 INTERESTS OF THE CHURCH.
THE INTERESTS OF THE CHURCH.
Tlie University of Lebanon promises, at this
time, to meet the most sanguine expectations of
its friends ; and could there be a Theological
Department, in full operation, the Church in
g:eneral would be greatly profiled. A Theological
Department, well sustained, has long been a desid-
eratum in our Church, and if our Church would
form Educational Societies, and by personal,
congregational, and Presbyterial efforts, aid all
young men connected with the Church, whom
God might call to preach, and send them here, or
to some good institution of learning, the call for
pastors and missionaries would soon be met.
Especially if the Church will pray the Lord of
the harvest to send more laborers, and then sustain
those who labor in the field, either as pastors or as
missionaries, our Board of Missions would then
have men and means to meet the Macedonian cry,
coming up from every direction. The Board wish
to take no young man away from any field, where
he can be sustained : all the Board wish, is, to carry
out, as fully as possible, the designs of the Church.
Young men, coming up to Lebanon to prepare for
the ministry, will not be influenced by the Board
to leave the congregations and Presbyteries which
RELIGION OF THE R I B L E . 155
have sent tliem here, aidiiio; them to come, and
willing to sustain them on their return. But it"
Churches and Preshyteries will not aid tiiem in
coming, and not sustain them on their return, the
Board would wish to aid, when it would be ueces-
sary and send to destitute parts.
The Church need not be afraid in sending her
young ministers here to prepare for the work, that
the Church iiere or the Board, will send them to
other fields of labor, when they can be sustained by
the country from which they come. We are
workers together with God, The Lord, whose
the field is, designs it should be cultivated ; and
our Ciiurch ought to labor to carry out his designs.
Our beloved Church has not had much experience,
either in aiding young men to obtain an education,
or in supporting those who aie laboring in the field.
But she is improving in every respect, and we hope
soon, she will practically know how to promote her
own interest, by sustaining those who labor for her
prosperity.
RELIGION OF THE BIBLE.
I APPROVE of the religion of the Bible, because it
is just to God and safe to man ; and it has more
claims to our confidence and love, than anv other,
156 RELIGION OF T H E B I B L E .
from the fact that it has the strongest wisdom to
sustain its claims, and the best object to warm the
heart and sanctify the affections. The pardon it
grants is full and free, and for Christ's sake, the
image it restores to the heart, confirms the cove-
nant. Faith enters into it as the seal of the Holy
Spirit, and the earnest of the believer's inheritance:
' after that ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy
Spirit of promise.' And the seal is to the day of re-
demption — until all the business of time is wound
up. But there are many things connected with
these great cardinal points of but small moment,
about which Christians differ ; yet, correct opinion.s,
even in the smallest matters, are the best guardians
of Christian morality and practical religion ; and,
therefore, should be sought after by all men who
know and love the truth. The religrion of the Bible
binds us to God and one another — erroneous sen-
timents have a tendency to separate us from God
and man. God is love, and he that loveth dwelleth
in God and God in him : and he that loveth God,
loveth him that is begotten of him.
I will here take the liberty to object to the
opinions entertained by some professed (Christians.
— I object to any mode of Christian baptism
being considered essential to Church membership,
and communion at the Lord's table, from the fol-
lowing considerations:
1st. Because the Bible no where positively
expresses the mode, and to entertain the sentiment,
RELIGION OF THE B I U L E . 157
that the mode is essential to Church-membership
and Christian communion, is a postscript, or, add-
ingr to the word of God.
2nd. It confounds the mode with the thins
done, and is calculated to establish a formal or ex-
ternal religion.
3rd. I object to the mode being essential, be-
cause it is contrary to experimental religion. Every
Christian under the influence of first love, which
is simple and sincere, loves all that love the Lord
Jesus Christ; and could, without regard to modes
or forms, meet them at the Lord's table. But the
sentiment that makes the mode of baptism essential
to communion, is contrary to Christian experience
— not only the young, but old Christian — for
whenever the Christian feels the love of God, he
feels, also, love to the brethren, or all who have the
divine image.
4th. I object to the sentiment, because it created
schism in the body of Christ. Every Christian is a
member of Christ's spiritual body, whether Jew or
Gentile; if he believe in Christ, he is a member of
his body. But he that makes the mode essential to
Christian communion, cuts off from Christ some
of the dear members of his body.
5th. I object to the sentiment, because it is des-
titute of Christian courtesy. The community that
ujakes the mode of baptism essential to membership
and communion at the Lord's table, do not inquire
for t('slimo!ii;j's of ijood bt'liin iu>).r, \> Ikmi they
158 COMMENT ON J U D E NINTH.
receive members from other climclies. A certificate
of good standing in other churches, is of no vaUie.
Tins is rontrarv to Christian courtesy, and the cour-
tesy of all associations ; and it opens a door ot
retreat to all who wish to withdraw, to do so,
without asking the body to which they belong for
testimonials of their good standing in society.
COMMENT ON JUDE NINTH.
" Yet Michael, the archangel, when contending
with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses,
durst not bring against hini a railing accusation, but
said, The Lord rebuke thee."
1. From the text, we learn, that devils are intel-
ligent beings, and were made upright, but kept not
the'r first estate.
2. They will contend with good and great
angels, who have kept their first estate, and also
with good men.
3. The subjects about which they dispute, are
such things as are not clearly revealed in the Bible,
Such things as are clearly revealed, can be easily
sustained. The devils themselves, acknowledge
Jesus Christ lo be the Son of God,
C U M SI E .\ T ON J U D E NINTH. 159
4. Good angels and men leave God to be l)otli
Judge and Executioner.
Angels are intelligenl beings: and falling from
their first estate, do not lose their intellecrna! powers,
but their good moral qualities. And although
they are intelligent, they are intelligent devils —
disposed to dethrone Jehovah, and deface his image
in man, or wherever it is found. The devil is a
tempter — a disputant — and, if he loves any thing,
lie loves sin — he loves to dispute — because, by
disputation, he may put angels and good men off
their guard, and lead them to usurp the throne of
God, and take the reins of government into their
own hands, and thus rebuke the devil — themselves
not saying, The Lord rebuke thee.
But 2nd. The subjects of dispute are dark and
liiic rtain things; — such as the body of Moses.
Moses died in the land of Moab, and the Lord
buried him in the valley; and no man knoweth of
his sepulchre until this day. Had the children of
Israel found his body, they would likely have wor-
shipped it. The Lord acted wisely in concealmg
it ; and are we not safe in saying, many other
things are concealed from man, not essential to his
salvation, which, if they had been plainly revealed,
might have become objects of worship. The mode
of water baptism, seems not to be plainly revealed.
Baptism is enjoined, but the mode is not so clear.
And on account (>f its obscurity, and not being
essential to sahntinji. ii is one of the best subjects
IGO C IJ iM iM E N T ON J U U E N 1 N T l{ .
for the Devil to dispute about. Tiie mode can't
be settled by the Bible : and if it could, it would
not save the sinner. But inasmuch as it is a
(Church ordinance — but its mode not known — it
would do for devils to dispute about, and all such
doubtful matters. The devil has much more to
contend about. Clear important truths admit o-f
but little contention. An old preacher once said
in the pulpit, that he had often been asked about
Pharaoh's chariot, and the sprinkled birds, but no
one had ever asked him what it was to be born
again. ^
But 3rd. Railing accusations should not be
brought against the Devil. It is true, that ironv has
been used by good men against bad men ; and there
are some vices, and perhaps some errors, which
can only be put to the blush by ridicule. And
there are some men who think they never have a
powerful antagonist, unless he can rail and use as
hard words as themselves. But Michael did not
determine the subject by hard words, but left this
dark and doubtful subject, and the sentence to be
passed upon him, to the Lord. Michael was a
good angel, and would not claim to be Judge and
executioner. He was a holy angel, and would not
sin so against God. He was a chaste angel, and
could not pollute the language of heaven. He
was a subordinate angel, and would leave all to
God. He was a peaceable angel, and knew that
railinoj was contra rv to the Prince of Peace.
DEVILS C A S T I .\ G <) L T D K V I !, .? . ] G 1
It m;iy he that Michael was enrriisted with the
l)nrial of Moses; aud the Devil, who was ouce an
angel of light, was well acquainted with iiini, con-
demned Iiin) for concealing the grave and hody of
Moses. He reasoned with Michael thus : It would
be of great service to the children of Israel, to
know where his body was; — and thus tried to get
Michael to betray his trust. And when he would
believe and obev God rather than submit to his rea-
soning, he had recourse to railing. This he could
do as a devil. But although Michael could reason,
he must not rail. In this, the Devil could excel
Michael ; hut Michael submitted all to God. So, my
brethren, let us do in all cases, when brought in
contact with the Devil. I have seen much evil grow
out of devils casting out devils. Whenever we
attempt to cast out devils, let us do it by the finger
of God
« DEVILS CASTING OUT DEVILS.
Not long since, reviewing the history of the
world, a case came up, which transpired about
eighteen hundred years ago, which interested me
very much ; and I thought I would give it to the
world; and it possiblv might illustrate some dark
and difticult cases in ilje nineieendi century.
I I
J 02 O F. V I L S C A S T I N r; o (J r n F, V I l. s .
The rase was this : Otic devil rastinir out
another. I was much interested to learn his
process, and see how he could accomplish his
object, and how his process would result; and it
turned out just like a devilish effort would do —
both parties were injured. But the one that
commenced the attack was the most injured.
That vou may see that the case I refer to was
not fiction, see in the History of the World,
Acts xix. 13-16 : " Then certain of the vagabond
Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them
that had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus,
saying, We adjure you, by Jesus, whom Paul
preacheth. And there were seven sons, of one
Seeva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did
so. And the evil Spirit answered and said, Jesus
I know, and Paul I know ; but who are ye 1
And the man in whom the evil Spirit was,
leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed
against them, so thai they fled out of that house
naked and wounded."'
f have observed, that in the process of onf
devil casting otit another, he never attempts it
as a devil, but always puts on another form —
an angel of light; or, as in the case before us,
the attack against the evil Spirit was made in
the name of Jesus, whom Paul preached. He
always goes masked : hence, he always attends
masquerade parlies and balls, and attempts but
little, in this world, without a mask: but he is
DEVILS CASTING OUT DEVILS. 163
Still as uiucli of a devil, when he goes in an
angel's dress, and in the name of Christ, and his
object is the same, as though he appeared in
the Devil's livery ; and, when he, in his angelic
dress, opposes Christianity, he always calls Christ
Beelzebub, and does not oppose him for a good
work, but for blasphemy — he being a man, maketh
himself a God. Just so, when he opposes the
Church of Christ; he calls Christians hypocrites;
and in his angelic dress, he is going to purge the
Church of its hypocrites and false prophets; but,
although he is thus dressed, he has the devil's
spirit. Enmity is his nature, and his operations
will show what spirit he is of. Satan cannot
love, he hates morality ; but never opposes it,
until he gives it the name of vice, and then
becomes the opposer of vice ; but, by such a
spirit as to open the very flood-gates of immorality
upon the world ; and the evil spirit he opposed
in an angel's dress, leaps upon him, and overcomes
his an^^el dress, and he shows himself all devil;
then the people learn, when, perhaps, it is too
late, that the devil was at the bottom of all : and,
although it was his great zeal for religion and
morality which led him to such action, yet, his
course to stop it only opened the way to more
immorality and irreligion. If he really appeared
the devil opposing the devil, his kingdom would
be divided, and could not stand; but he appears
as an angel of light opposing the devil, and the
164 D E V I T, S C A S r 1 N O OUT I) F, V I L » .
people are l)linded by him; and too often join
with him, and cry out, Come and see my zeal
for the Lord of Hosts ! when tlie spirit of the
devil is in it. And the result is, when we oppose
any thing under the name of evil, with an evil
spirit, we are overcome by the evil spirit, and our
professed Christianity is overcome, and we are
found on the devil's side. With our professed
zeal for literature, morality, and religion, we injure
every thing good, and contribute to the devil's
kingdom.
The devil is fond of excitement, and seems to
impregnate the very air (for he is the prince and
power of the air) with faction ; and when the
excitement abates, the feelings settles down in
opposition to God and religion, and people become
opposed to each other, and an unpleasant state
of heart-burning is felt in society. The devil has
his plan of bringing on his revivals, and he always
commences more like an angel than a devil. He
only whispers at first, and that prepares the way
to talk confidentially, with promises to keep secret;
but the secret keeper wants somebody else to help
keep the secret ; and some get it, who think the
secret too good or bad to be kept, and it is no
longer a secret: property is injured, society is
injured, and perhaps the very one who rose up
to cast out the devil is ovelTome, and suffers more
than the one he attempted to cast out, as in the
text before us: the evil spirit answers. "Jesns
A SHORT S K R >I O N . 105
1 know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?''
The excitement rises higher, and the last evil
is worse than the first : the tide rises to the hijjhest
point, and then begins to abate. It began by evil
imaginations, and rises to fixed hatred, and death
is the finishing stroke.
Let us, my brethren, never attempt to cast out
devils by Beelzebub, lest we be overcome by the
very devils we oppose, and have to leave that
house naked and wounded.
A SHORT SERMON FROM A LONG
TEXT.
2 Chron. xix. 5 — 7: "And he set judges in
the land, throughout all the fenced cities ot'Judah,
city by city ; and said to the judges, Take heed
what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but
for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.
Wherefore now, let the fear of the Lord be upon
you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity
with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor
takino; of gifts."
Our text develops the policy of Jehoshaphat,
(under the Divine Hand,) the son of Asa: he set
his heart to seek the Lord God of his father David,
16G AS n () R T s E i; m o n
and to l)r'mg Judali hack to the service of the true
God. He liad riches and lioiior in abundance, and
his lieart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord.
He sent heralds to make known the will of God to
the people; but he found that mere declaration was
not sufficient ; judicial proceedings must be resorted
to also. He therefore established two classes of
judges : one ecclesiastic, the other civil. These
judges or elders, were formed into three courts. The
court of three, determined small matters; perhaps
it was only a court of arbitration — each party
choosing a judge, and they two chose a third.
The second court consisted of twenty-three judges;
this court determined matters of great uioment.
And the third court, or sanhedrim, consisted of
seventy or seventy-two judjres; this court deter-
mined matters of the highest character — both in
Church and State,
No judge was allowed to receive presents, nor
to regard men either for poverty or riches, or to
follow a multitude, or be governed by public
opinion ; but according to law and evidence. No
man was to lie condemned unheard, nor on the
testimony of less than two or three witnesses ; some
of them called of God, others elected by the people.
Different manners obtained of making known the
sentence. The Jews made the sentence known
by declarino: — thou art innocent or guiltv ; the
Romans, by casting various tablets into a bo.\ —
marked with a. for approval, and c. for condemna-
F no M A I, () N G T E X T . 167
tion ; some of the Greeks, by giving a white stone
as tiie emblem of innocence, aiul a black one as tbe
emblem of iiuilt. See an allusion to this in Rev.
ii. 17.
The Church has always had its ministers called
of God, and its judicial courts. The Gospel Church
has its courts of judges, ministers called of God, and
elders chosen by the people. See 1 Cor. v. 12,
13. "For what have I to do to judge them also
that are without? Do not ye judge them that are
within ? But them that are without God judiieth."
The power of a Church court is purely moral
and spiritual. It is the duty of this court to main-
tain the purity and peace of the Church, and to
labor for her prosperity; and if any member of the
Church has knowledge of any error or crime which
ought to be noticed, let it be brought before this
court, and not spread it abroad to the scandal of
the Church: and he who will tell the faults of his
brother to the world and not to the Church, lays
himself liable to the censure of the Church. As
God, therefore, calls men to preach, and also to
rule in his house, we believe the policy is good in
the government of the Church, to have its courts
formed of men called of God, and men elected by
the people, to act in concert with the ministry.
The minister needs an advisory counsel, that is
held responsible to the people for advice given.
The preacher's business is with books, in hi.s
studio, in the pul()it, and in the domestic circle,
168 A .'^ H O H T S K K .M O N
giving instruction and offerin^i prayer, and lias
nothing, or little, to do with secular matters; and
he needs advisors acquainted with the people in all
their vocations of life, that in the government of a
Ciiurch those who rule may be acquainted with all
the circumstances of its members. If the preacher
has to govern without an appointment by the j)eople
to aid him, he will have advisors; every member
of the Church will advise — but who is responsible
for that advice given. And if the counsel of brethren
is not taken by the preacher, how many become
offended that their sage advice was not taken?
But when advice or counsel is given, or discipline
carried out by members chosen by the people, they
are held responsible to the Church who elected
them to aid in forming a Church court, and giving
advice and coui^sel to their minister: the Church
court, then, being formed of men chosen of God to
preach as well as administer government, and men
chosen by the people, let all such courts, when
assembled for judicial purposes, regard witii deep
interest the instructions given by God to these
judges: — You must not condemn or cast a member
out of the Church unheard, nor on the testi-
mony of less than two or three witnesses. You
must not receive presents to pervert judgment.
Money may not be offered the judges; but perhaps
that which may be better calculated to pervert
judgment, great kindness uvdy be shown by the dif-
ferent parties, wiih a view to blind the eves. Gifts
CONFESSION OF FAITH. 1G9
of any kind must have no influence on the court ;
popular opinion, or the voice of the multitude, must
not influence tlie court in its judicial proceedings;
the sentiment should never be absent from the
court, that it is to act in God's stead ; every mem-
ber of a Church court should lay his personal
feelings and interest aside, and remember he judges
for the Lord and not for man, and that God is with
him in the judgment, and with the Lord there is no
iniquity, nor taking of gifts. Members of Church
courts should take good heed to act impartiallj-,
wisel}-, and justly, as ihey act for God who is with
them in the judgment, and at whose bar they will
soon appear.
May every court of Christ on earth be a holy
court.
ON THE CONFESSION OF FAITH.
I HAVE read the discussion on faith and a revision
of our book, and ha\ie thought it might be of some
advantage to say what the fathers, and those who
adopted it, thought and said when they adopted
the Confession of Faith.
The framers of the book did not believe it per-
fect. They i)elieved many words were retained in
.the compilation which iniglit be ronsfruod bv those
170 CONFESSiON OF FAITH.
specially, who were trained up under the West-
minster Confession as the most ultra sentiments of
Calvinism ; and they found it difficult to expunge
every word from which might he inferred strong
Calvinism, without making a new hook entire.
But they thought that if the body of the work fully
expressed our views that those words and phrases
more ambiguous, ought to be understood in consis-
tency with the body or general tenor of the work:
and under this conviction they left words which
might have been expunged ; and the book was
unanimously adopted. The following may he
clearly found in the Confession :
1st. That all men were chosen or elected to a
day of grace or state of probation. None were
reprobated from eternity.
2nd. That Jesus Christ is both God and man
in two distinct natures, and person for ever.
3rd. That he, by the grace of God, tasted death
for every man, and consequently for the whole
world.
4th. That the Holy vSpirit is sent to convince
the whole world, that his operation on the human
heart is as extensive as the atonement; and the
atonement perfectly accords with the election to a
day of mercy. God chose all men, Christ died for
all men, and the Holy Ghost strives with all men.
In the offices of the united three, there is no dis-
crepancy.
5th. That Adam represented all his posterity,
CONFESSION OF T A I T II . 171
and lliat his siu was imputed to his posterity, and
that we are all guilty mortals and totally depraved.
But the election gave all an opportunity to receive
justification and salvation. Tiie atonement consti-
tutes the ground of the sinner's pardon. And the
Holy Spirit, by his a<>;ency and means, instituted,
controls, disposes and gives the sinner ability to do
what he could not do witjiout that influence. He,
the sinner, is able to do two things, and they must
be done in order to salvation. He must repent and
believe the gospel. Faith and repentance go hand
in hand, only faith takes the first step. He first
believes that there is a God, that God is truly a
holy God, and will punish the sinner. This is the
grace of repentance in its first grade; the sinner
can and ought to put forth the exercise; but when
he has done all he can do in the way of repentance,
he has not lessened his guilt in view of law ; he
must believe in Jesus Christ, or receive him, or
commit the keeping of iiis soul to Christ. If he do
not yield to the Spirit, he cannot repent ; and if
he do not repent he cannot believe ; and if he do
not believe he cannot be justified; and if not justi-
fied he must be damned.
The gospel, which is an economy of niercy,
originated with God, and this makes it gracious;
and it is carried out in man's agency, and this
secures personal accountability.
In the Book we declare what God does, and
then what man docs. Salvation is an elVect pro-
.172 EFFICIENCY IN THE CHURCH.
duccd bv a concurrency of both agencies. Then
Gud begins and man must follow or yield.
I think the book fully gives our stand points,
and by them doubtful words and ideas must be
understood. I could write all day on this sub-
ject; but might darken counsel by words without
knowledge.
EFFICIENCY IN THE CHURCH.
The longer I live the more interest I feel for the
Church of Christ. It has a great work to do. The
Jewish Church has introduced the Saviour, who,
by his death, has atoned for the sin of the world.
It now belongs to the Christian Church to give
publicity to what he has done, and spread his name
abroad to the ends of the earth. I believe ihe Lord
has raised up the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
in this great valley, and in these ends of the earth,
as a little missionary family, born in this field of
missions to aid other Christian Churches in
hastening that glorious day, when the world shall
be filled with the glory of God. Perhaps no branch
of Zion has superior advantages in the field of
labor, and were her efficiency equal to her advan-
tages, no Church could do more to promote the
cause of Christ. The manner of lier birth gives
E F F r C I E N G Y IN THE CHURCH. 173
hev advantatics ; she was horn in a revival of re-
hgion, yet talked of as the great revival of eighteen
hundred. She was born in this land of liberty,
and is properly an American Church, if not the
only one. The form of government she has
adopted is not only congenial with our civil form,
but the model from which it was drawn. Both
preacher and people have a voice in the Church,
from the lowest to the highest judicature ; her sys-
tem of doctrines equally distant from the extremes
of Theology so long taught in the world, and like
a pendulum, finds its centre between the extremes
of vibration, and being a medium system, it is more
acceptable to the unbiased mind, and gives our
Church doctrinal advantages no other enjoys. As
relates to the terms of admission into the ministry,
she thinks the Great Head of the Church, in con-
stituting the ministerial body, has given a fair
specimen, Paul, ApoUos, and Cephas, learned,
less learned and eloquent.
Her terms of Church-membership and com-
munion. She considers Christian baptism an
ordinance of tiie Church ; but makes a difference
between the thing done and the mode of doing it.
She would not make any mode of water baptism
essential to membership in the Christian Church,
or communion at the Lord's table. To make the
mode a test of membership or communion, she
thinks contrary to Christian experience and the
religion of the Bible. Her constitution provides for
174 E F F 1 C I F: N C Y 1 i\ T HE C H U R C H .
the pastoral relation, as well as the field of mis-
sions. She also has a Board of Foreign, as well as
Domestic Missions, which promises much, though
in its infancy. She may not have every rule or
by-law to aid her in furthering the cause ; but
her constitution leaves an open door for every
facility she may see proper to adopt. We ask,
now, what is the great desideratum in our Church
at the present time ? We answer, efficiency, a
consecrated laity and ministry. Our doctrines,
government, and rules, will not build up the Church,
nor be instrumental in the conversion of sinners,
without efficient preachers and people. A preacher
who, like the lazy dumb dog, neither barks nor
bites, will not guard the house. Our Church
needs, at the present time, devotion to the cause.
The best constructed ship needs a captain; the
best constructed engine needs an engineer; and
tlie best Church constitution must be carried
out by efficient men. Our Church has schools,
colleges, and a prosperous University, with her
other advantages. Let her awake from her slum-
ber, and put on the whole armor of God. Let her
use the advantages she has, and she will be a pros-
perous Church. I will conclude by saying, peace
be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy
palaces.
A VIEW OF T II p: present, ejc. 175
A VIEW OF THE PRESENT AND THE
PAST.
In a Lettei- to a Friend in Lebanon.
The children of Israel were directed to remem-
ber, all the way the Lord their God led them, with
a view to excite Immilitj and gratitude to God for
his care over them. The Cumberland Presbyterian
Church should never forget the way the Lord has
led her, these thirty-six years past, and for ten years
before, the miracles of grace wrought in the west
which paved the way for her organization. I am
now an old man. In 1798, I set out to seek the
Lord, In November of 1800 I found him, the
Lord God merciful and gracious, slow to anser and
of great kindness. In the JNIay of 1801, I con-
nected with the Presbyterian Church. Great
changes have taken place since that time. Then
there was but one Presbyterian Church in the
United States. Now there are Cuml)erland Pres-
byterians, Old and New School Presbyterians;
and in forty-five years more, there may be many
more branches of the Presbyterian Churches.
Some steps iiave already been taken to found a
Presbyterian Church North, on abolition principles.
I hope, as I am an old Elder, and had to wade
through difficulties, in the organization of the Cum-
176 A VIEW OF r H E I> R E S E > T
bcrland Presbyterian Church, that the members,
voung members of this Chnrch, will not stir np
strife on that subject ; and that we will all work
tO£:ether, and all work with God. And if other
denominations will dispute, divide, and hinder the
work of God, the brethren of the Cnmberland
Presbyterian Church will keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bonds of peace.
Oh! what a change since 1810! Then there
were but nine preachers in the whole body, four of
whom only were ordained : all the preachers then
could have been put into one pulpit, and nearly all
the members into one house. But the Lord has
greatly increased our infant Church. We should
remember all the way the Lord our God has led
us. Then we had no religious paper, no meeting-
houses or but few, no institutions of learning, and
not as many grammar books, as we now have
colleu;es. Now, Dr. Cossitt, as you live away in
that favored town, editing a religious paper, and in
sight of the University, where so many young men
are preparing for the ministry, some of them may
in a short time come and preach away here, to the
old Elder and the congregation in which he lives.
Oh ! he wants to hear some of them, whose tongues
may be like the pen of a ready writer, whose heads
may be fountains of waters, and whose hearts may
be filled with love. Can't you talk to them and tell
them what a great work they have to do, and how
many advantages they have over the first young
AND THE PAST. 177
men in the Church ? Tell them, if they will live
luiinble and be useful, the Churches will be pleased
with them and the institution, and will help to
endow it. Tell them how some of us preached
and wept, and prayed, before they went there. Old
Brother Calhoun, I understand, lives not far from
that place ; he will exhort them to diligence. And
there is brothers Donnell, T. C. Anderson, and
many others, who know the necessities of the
Church, and will aid them in preparing for the
important work. Tell the good people of Lebanon
to take good care of the sons of the Church, pray
for them and watch over them. Some of their
fathers and mothers would not have sent them
there, if they had not heard that there were many
prayino; people in that place. That the young
brethren there and every where else, preparing for
the ministry, may shine as lights in the world, is
my ardent desire and constant prayer.
A short history of our beloved Church maybe
profitable to all, and shall close this letter. The
first Presbytery was constituted 4tli of February,
1810, at Rev. Samuel McAdow's, Dixon county,
Tenn , by Rev. S. McAdow, Finis Ewing, and
Samuel King, all of whom have gone to their
rewards. In April, 1813, two other Presbyteries
were constituted : the Elk and Logan. These
Presbyteries met the Cumberland, at the Beech
meeting-house and constituted a Synod, on the 5th
of October^ 1813. Fasting and prayer, both public
178 A VIEW OF THK PRESENT-
and private, were common at that time. The 4th
Monday in May, 1817, was observed as a day of
fasting and prayer, for more lal)orers. The work
of God greatly revived that year, and many laborers
were called forth ; and their circuits were their
colleges. On the 4th Tuesday in May, 1820, the
McGee Presbytery was constituted, in Missouri,
then a territory. On the 18th of October, 1821,
the Elk Presbytery was divided, and Alabama
and Tennessee Presbyteries were ordered to be
constituted. At this time also, the Anderson
Presbytery was stricken off from the Logan ; and
Lebanon from the Nashville. On the 16th oi
October, 1822, Illinois Presbytery was stricken off
from the Anderson and McGee Presbyteries. Since
that time, many Presbyteries and Synods have been
constituted: the number and brief history of which^
together with the formation and history of our
General Assembl}', I may hereafter furnish, provided
no other does so, and I have leisure. Many literary
institutions of different grades have been established,
and many periodicals, both weekly and monthly,
are now published.
But I must close this interesting narrative. We
ought to be humble and thankful as a Church, take
encouragement and labor day and night; our work
has just commenced.
C O M JM P: N T , E T C . 1 70
COMMENT ON FIRST PETER IV. 12.
" Beloved, think it not strange concerning the
fiery trial which is to try yon, as though some
strange thing happened to you."
How common it is for Christians to think strange
of their fiery trials, as though they had never heard
of such tilings; and yet the Bible abounds with
declarations of this character. "Yea, and all that
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecu-
tion ;" 2 Tim. iii. 12. And again : " These are they
who have come through great tribulation," &c.
And have we espoused the cause of Christ, and yet
think it strange that we have tribulation in the
present world ? The truth is every individual who
espouses the cause of Christ, should calculate on
wading deep waters, breasting heavy storms, and
passing through the fiery darts of the wicked one.
God tries his people to prove their faith and every
gr;»ce : '-the trial of your faith, being much more
precious than of gold that perisheth.'' One of the
primitive saints said, "I know that when I am
tried, I shall come forth as gold." But saints are
sometimes tried not only to prove their sincerity,
but to be an example to others. "Ye have heard
of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of
180 CO M M E N T O N FIRS T I' K J' i; R
the Lord," or the design he had in liis afflictions.
See how varied his trials, and how severe ; one
came and told him of what had befallen his
children; another his camels; and before he was
done speaking, another came with evil tidings
about the sheep, &c., &c., until all he had was
gone. So with good people in the present day.
But should we think strange of it I Not at all. All
these trials have befallen others, and can we expect
to escape 1 If we are the heads of families, or the
heads of any department, our messenger informs us
one of the children is sick, or one of the house-hold
servants is ready to die ; your father is at the point
of death ; your mother cannot live long ; the house is
deranged, the stock is suffering, the farm is out of
repair, the crop is burning up for the want of rain,
or the flood is sweeping it away : but many of these
are small, and common to all men. Deep interest
is felt for the education of the children, schools are
established, good teachers must be had, but there is
want of union amono;st the citizens. One wants
this teacher, another that one ; and other difficulties
take place ; union is dissolved and the institution
broken up ; the parents and guardians are afflicted ;
harmony is destroyed. But how many civil broils
and pohiical contentious ! These all contribute to
fill up the good man's cup. But here is the Church
of God, preferred by the good man to his chief
joy. Christians differ ; and the fighting of Christ's
sheep presao;es foul and stormy •^\ eather. iMembers of
FOLRTH AND T \V E L F T H . 181
the same congregation differ, and are cold-hearted
to one another; the good man hears of one member
walking disorderly ; another has neglected the
sanctuary; the prayer-meeting is cold and but
thinly attended ; but little attention to the Sabbath
school; family prayer is neglected, perhaps by
many; the preacher himself is cold and perhaps
neglects his duty; the people think the preacher
can get along better than they can ; he has nothing
to do but be religious, and we have so many
troubles ; we must attend to ourselves and let him
do the best he can ; he don't need our aid — not
ever our prayers. The good man is grieved ; no
revivals of religion — none enquiring the way to
Zion ; all the ways of Zion do mourn. A letter
informs him a congregation has lost one of its most
prominent lay-members; another informs him of
the death of one of the most useful ministers;
another minister has fallen a prey to temptation.
All these thino;s combine, with personal and inward
evils, presumption, and despair, to afflict the pious
heart. Satan tempts to distrust the faithfulness of
God ; one day I shall fall by the hand of my
enemy. Hath God forgotten to be gracious 1 Hath
he, in anger, shut up his tender mercies 1 All
these things, and others innumerable, and perhaps
much greater, afflict the Christian. " But beloved,
liiink it not strange." Did you live in other parts
of the world, your trials might have been as great
or iiieater \l,\(\ you lirt'd in David's day, and
182 COMMENT ON FIRST PETER
been as j^ood a man as he was, 30U would perhaps
have had as severe trials. Had you lived in the
days of the Saviour and his Apostles, your trials
would have been more fiery. Had you hved in
those days, one niiglit have written to you, " many
of the people say Jesus is mad and hath a devil ;
why hear ye him!" You woidd have heard one
of his disciples had betrayed him, for thirty pieces
of silver; another had denied him ; and all the rest
are flying from him. You would next have iieard
the boisterous crowd cry out, ''Crucify Wv.n, Crucify
him. He is not fit to live." Who is not fit to live I
Your only Saviour, the meek and lowly Son of
God. Oh ! how would you have felt I You would
have thought those fiery trials indeed. Many
good men had all these fiery trials. Will you
think your trials strange ] But more. He is nailed
to the cross; and the crowd laugh him to scorn;
and at length the hope of Israel dies. The
heavens are hung in mourning; the afflicted
disciples say, one to another, " We trusted that it
was he that should have redeemed Israel." But
he is buried, a guard surrounds his dead body ; rlie
wicked are rejoicing; the Christians are all in
trouble; some who thought their employment in
future would be to preach him to the world, now
talk about going back to their old employments.
" I go a fishing," said one to his fellow. " I will
also go with thee," said another. All was dark and
gloomy ; but the e^orrow and silence of that last
FOURTH AND TWELFTH. 183
long uiglit, when the Saviour lay in the tomb, was
broken by the descent of an anjiel ; the stone was
rolled back; the keepers became as dead men; and
the hope of Israel rose triumphantly, and shouted
victory over death. He gladdened the hearts of
his friends with his bodily presence ; but after a
few short days, he stepped on a cloud, and was
shouted welcome to heaven. But his Apostles go
out to preach and plant Churches; the Holy Ghost
descends; sinners attend their ministry. But learn
the troubles of Paul, when Christianity was in its
infanc}'. " Demas hath forsaken me, having loved
this present world ;'' and some who would once
have plucked out their eyes for him, now become
his enemies. Many went back from the Saviour,
and walked no more with him. Many deserted
the Apostles, " but they went out from us, because
they were not of us." Had we, my brethren, lived
then, our trials would have been greater than now.
My dear brethren, of the 19th century, as God has
told us in his word, that through nnich tribulation,
we must enter the kingdom, and as Christ and all
his followers in every age, have had tribulation, let
us not think it strange that we are the subjects of
fiery trials. But let us learn to glory in tribulation,
and when we are tried we shall come forth :is
gold. "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearitio;
j)recious seed, shall doubtless come again with
rejoicing, bearing his sheaves with him." Let us
ji;itient!y bear the tri;ils of iii'o Th(^ .Siivioisr was
184 TH t vn. '/ G I C A L CLASS.
assailed by Satan, and he repelled liini, and the
angels came and ministered unto him. Let ns
resist evil spirits ; and after we are tried, as
individuals and as a Church, angels will minister
to us. God will revive us again. He has set light
over against darkness, joy over against sorrow. Tn
the world ye shall have tribulation; "but be of
good cheer," said Christ, "I have overcome the
world."
Let us then, my Christian friends, sing with the
poet, concerning the Saviour :
" His way was much rougher and darker than mine.
Did Jesus thus sufter, and shall I repine."
THE THEOLOGICAL CLASS AT
LEBANON, TENN.
Dear Young Brethren — The close of the
Collegiate Year of Cumberland University, is just
at the door; the parting hour, at least for a time,
is near at hand, when you must bid your
brethren farewell; as you take your leave of the
stately walls of your edifice; and the rooms in
which so many useful lessons have been studied
and recited, the President, Professors, and Tutors
who have, with great interest, guarded the morals
and aided the vounu men of the instirntion up t!ie
T II E () L O G I C A L C L A S 3 .1 85
hill of science, the pleasant town of Lebanon, its
pleasant families and citizens, its Churches; prayer
meetings, Sabbath Schools, and the public ministry
of the word, with all the useful lectures which have
been dehvered to you How solemn must your
feelings be. Your faces are towards your lather's
house, or some distant field of labor, and you glance
your eve back to the hallowed spot where your
minds, under the tree of liberty, have been enlight-
ened, and your hearts warmed while science and
literature have opened their choice treasures; that
same spot where not only the works of nature, but
nature's God has revealed himself to some of you,
merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in
goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression
and sin. But once more, you think of the interesting
Sabbath Schools you have, under God, built up in
the surrounding country : will you return to water
them, or will they be taken up by others, and
sustained when you are gone ? Should you never
return to visit the schools you have planted, and the
Churches you have watered in the neighborhood
of Lebanon, you may, in some distant field, and
after years have passed by, find some of those very
Sabbath School boys able ministers, cultivating the
waste places of Zion.
Many of you, we hope, will return to this favored
spot, to prosecute your studies with double vigor,
both of body and mind, and cultivate the little fields
in which you have boeri laboring.' for some time
in
J 8G A T I, E B A i\ O N , T E N N .
past. Otlicrs will never return; some will find
soon their long home; some will he engaged in
useful fields of lahor employed as Teachers, Pastors
and Missionaries. But while some, who are now
here, will never return to the walls of the University ;
yet other young hrethren from different parts, will
come to fill their places. Brethren preparing for
the ministry, from eight or nine different States,
are here now: we hope more States will be
represented here the next year, that Presbyteries
will aid their candidates for the holy ministry to
obtain an education here and elsewhere. We
have no Tiieological Department endowed here or
any where else in our Church ; yet it is to be
hoped, that as our infant and growing Church is so
rapidly advancing in education, that some of its
friends will voluntarily make donations to endow a
Professorship in Theology, and that we may soon
have a regular Department of Theology in the
University.
My dear young brethren, let us live humble,
humble, humble, wherever we go, and during the
Vacation, by humility and zeal, according to
knowledge, be the representatives of this Institu-
tion. Let the Church and the world see in your
pulpit labors and private walk, that you are
Improved, intellectually, morally, and relioiously,
that you have not forgotten Zion. Never was
there a time when our Church and the whole
world needed more able ministers of the New
A B U U > I i\ « AND SHINING LIGHT. 1 S7
Testament. An open door is found almost every
where for our ministers. Tiie foreign as well as
the domestic fielJ, calls for laborers. May the
Lord of the harvest call and qualify for the exten-
sive field now ready to harvest, more laborers.
HE WAS A BURNING AND SHINING
LIGHT.
The anecdote of the preacher, who once thought
loud preaching converted people, but afterwards
learned that it was not the noise, but ihe light that
produced the eifect — not thunder but lightning —
has gone the rounds of the papers. We fear that
some who cannot speak loud, may glory in being
liuninous, because they do not speak loud, and
therefore inter that, as they are not the thunder
they must be the lightning. But if we judge from
the effect of their preaching, they are neither
lightning nor thunder*; for lightning severs the
stoutest tree, and is always followed by thunder.
H therefore our preaching be true spiritual lightning,
it will break the sinner's heart, and the report will
be heard afar off
But, we often glory in the sentiment which
seems best calculated to promote our own glory,
188 O N !■' H K K C O M M U N I O N .
and often overlook what best promotes the ^lory o(
God. Now, in order best to promote the divine
glory, we must be burning, as well as shining and
thundering preachers. John was a burning and
shining light ; and to be useful, we must burn as
well as shine. A thundering preacher may affect
the ear; a luminous preacher affect the eye ; but
it requires a burning preacher to affect the heart.
Let us therefore, brethren, endeavor to be burning,
as well as shining lights ; and if we have the true
spirit of burning in our preaching, we will warm
the heart, enliohten the head, and secure to our-
selves, as ministers, by the effects of our preaching,
the title of sons of thunder-
ON FREE COMMUNION.
The Lord's Supper was instituted for his followers,
to be observed through all time, in remembrance of
him.
The Church of Christ is divided into several
members; but it is but one spiritual body, and
Christ is the head. The members should have the
same care, one of another, as the members of the
natural body have ; and if they do not all perform
the same office, yet they should all subserve the
interest of the snme hodv.
WHY DO WE Sir STILL? f89
But should Christians all commune together, at
the Lord's Table? I answer, "What the Lord
hath joined together, let not man put asunder/'
We have now thirty States in our Union; they
are all equally free and independent; and yet thev
are united and have one great central point, at
which to meet and testify that they are free and
independent States, and yet but one nation. The
orthodox Churches should have one central point,
at which to meet, and let the world know they are
one ; and let that be the Lord's table. Many
arguments might be offered in favor of free com-
munion. First, Christians all feel alike, if they do
not think alike. They can preach together, pray
together, sing together, and love together ! Should
they not commune together? I love the com-
munion of Saints. And will not all meet at last
in the same holy and happy land?
WHY DO WE SIT STILL?
Let every reader of this question answer. Has
he a God to glorify, a God worthy of his warmest
love, and who requires him to love him with all the
heart, soul, strength and mind ? Why does he sit
still as though he had nothing to do ?
Again, has he a soul to be saved, and is that soul
J.90 WHY no WE SIT S T I I. L ?
valuable ? Did it come from the breath of God ?
Is it nourished l)V the breath of his lips I Was it
redeemed by the blood of his Son, and for his
happiness are his intercessions continuous ; and
\A hen he yields to the spirit, the Holy Spirit of God,
does it enlighten, convince, and persuade him to
repent and turn to God 1 And why does he sit still .'
Do angels keep their watchful stations around him,
and in his most insensible hours are there angels
awake and hovering over him to arouse him to
effort, and why does he sit still I The Church of
God has important work to do; she has much to
do on the defensive and she oujiht to be progressive
as well as aggressive in her operations, and why
does she sit still I The vi^orld is to be converted by
her instrumentality, and she is to appear before the
throne of God and praise him day and night in his
temple; and why does she sit still I
The world is convulsed, thrones, principalities,
and powers are falling to the ground, and a crisis
has come up in its history calculated to awaken all
men, and why do we sit still ? The agriculturist,
the mechanic, the merchant, the lawyer, the
poliiician, are all up and at work to secure what
will soon be wrapped in flames, and why do we sit
still and neglect the one thing needful? The
veriest sinner on earth is rapidly advancing to the
gate of death, his day of mercy does not stop in its
motion, and his judgment does not linger, and his
damnation does not slumber, and why does he sit
SIN AND HOLINESS. 191
Still ! Let us, my breihren and friends, awake
from our slumbering, and prepare to see a world on
fire and a God in grandeur.
SIN AND HOLINESS.
Some vears ago I read an author, who advanced
the idea that holiness could not be developed to
created intelligences without the existence of sin;
and as God designed to develop his holiness, it was
necessary, in that development, to create intelligent
beings, and place them under a constitution which
would be necessarily followed with the introduction
of moral evil or sin, into the universe. That the
introduction of sin necessarily had the greatest
good in it, because it gave the Creator an opportu-
nity to make known his perfections. I was
astonished at the logic as well as the theology, and
was compelled to call the logic sophistry, and the
theology heresy. I had thought, and still think,
the negative is known by the positive, the finite by
the infinite, falsehood by truth ; and that truth
could exist of itself, and be know n by its own
infinite excellence, and so to speak is older than
falsehood ; and so with all the perfections of the
Deity. Holiness is the infinite, sin is the finite;
holiness can exist and be known to intelligent beings,
192 \V HEN MAY WE K iN O VV
without sin ; but sin cannot exist or be known with-
out hoUness : holiness is therefore the infinite, sin is
the finite; hoUn ess has the greatest good in it, sin has
the greatest evil. Might not the writer as well have
said, God cannot exist without a Devil, or make
himself known without an evil being; and as God
desired to be known, he must first, if he be first
decree the medium to make himself known, and
bring into existence devils and wicked men. To
make holiness dependent on sin, either in its nature
or development, is to place sin as the infinite and
holiness as the finite; sin immutable, holiness inrniu-
table ; the Devil as self-existent, and God dependent.
The theology is heresy ; it makes the Devil the
Lord's counsellor. But the Lord asks the question,
who has been his counsellor? was a devil necessary
to make known his glory 1 Or was he dependent
on sin to make known his perfections 1 If so, he
is not self-existent nor independent. The theology
is not good, it contradicts the Bible, and the Bible
is the standard of orthodoxy.
WHEN MAY WE KNOW AN ENEMY OR
FRIEND?
If we wish to know whether our fellowmen are
our friends or foes, let us observe the following rules :
— Circumstances will develop the true feelings of
AN ENEMY OR FRIEND. ] 93
the lieart. When we are in lieahh and prosperity
we are likely to find a professed friend in every
person ; but wait until adversity overtakes, and then
you will find that the true, sincere-hearted friend
will stick closer to you than before; and the heart
of an enemy will discover his opposition — he has
been watching for your halting, and will always
try to overtake you between the straits. This rule
will apply to the whole as well as its parts : it will
apply to the Church as well as the world. How
many seem to be friends in Zion's prosperity ; but
let an evil day come upon the Church — or a
Church — and then their true character is known;
their poisoned arrows are now hurled with fury at
the Church, and every advantage is taken of her
affliction ; some are for leaving the Church in her
adversity, who were her professed friends in pros-
perity. Circumstances make great men ; and
circumstances develop the true state of the heart.
To forsake a friend in adversity argues a want of
true friendship. Flavel, in his "Nature Spiritualized,"
very strikingly expresses this sentiment.
"Meditation 4th — Upon a withered posy taken
up in the way — Finding in my walk a posy of
once sweet and fragrant, but now dry and withered
flowers, which I suppose to be thrown away by
one that had formerly worn it ; thus, said I, doth
the unfahhful world use its friends when Providence
hath blasted and withered them. Whilst they are
rich and honorable, they will put them into their
.17
194 HO VV T O K N () \V A F II I K i\ I) .
bosoms, as the owner of this posy did whilst it was
fresh and fragrant ; and as easily throw them away,
as useless and worthless things, wiien thus they
come to he withered. Such usage as this Peironius
long since complained of:
"Are they in honor ? Then we sniile like friends ;
And with their fortunes, all our friendship ends."
But this loose and deceitful friend stinks so
odiously in the very nostrils of nature, that a
heathen poet severely taxes and condemns it as
most unworthy of a man :
" 'Tis base to change with fortune, and deny
A faithful friend, because in poverty."
And is this indeed the friendship of the world ?
Doth it thus use them whom it once honored?
Then, Lord, let me never seek its friendship. Oh !
let me esteem the smiles and honors of men less,
and thy love and favor more! Thy love is indeed
unchangeable ; being pure, free, and built upon
nothing that is mutable! Thou never servest thy
friends as the world doth its darlings."
Our venerable and highly respected John Flavel,
who wrote some two hundred years ago, under-
stood the Bible and the human family,and it was
then pretty much the same as it is now, if improve-
ments have been made since. Yet still ihefriciidship
of the world is enmity with God. Let us depend
less upon the world and more upon God, who is
unchangeable, true, and jjood.
WHO IS IN THE F A i; 1. I ! LS)5
WHO IS IN THE FAULT ?
When persons differ, the enquiry is often made
■ — Wlio is in the fault ? We answer: That person
who is hardest to be won. Tlie person who is
not in the fault, is wilhng to have ilie matter
investigated, and desires reconciliation ; but the
offender is unwilling to he reconciled, because lie
knows he would have to acknowledge his fault,
and not being willing to confess his fault, he will
be the last to seek a reconciliation. We oujjht all
to try ourselves by this rule when we are at variance
with oiiiers. Some men think the offended ou^ht
always to wait until the offender acknowled":es his
fault, but the sentiment is not correct. Had God
waited, when man offended, forhini to acknowledge,
no reconciliation would have been sought. But
the offended God was first to seek friendship with
offending man, and by His condescension, many
have become reconciled to God ; goodness leadeth
to repentance. We love Him because He first
loved us. Christians must copy his example.
196 ON B U I J-. D I N (J CHURCHES.
ON BUILDING CHURCHES.
I HAVE just returned to my charge, after an
absence of six weeks; during which time I visited
several congregations and aided in the dedicationai
services of a new Church, at Elkton, Giles county,
Tenn. Tlie great Head of the Church seemed to
approve the dedication ; a seriousness prevailed
amongst all the people, and some three or four
professed religion during the occasion. The old
saying is pretty true, we judge the state of the
people by the state of the temple. Man is a religious
being; all nations have their gods, and have built
temples in which to worship their several divinities.
In this land of Bibles we are taught to worship the
true God, the God of the Bible; but, alas! how
indifferent are many professed Christians and
Christian ministers about the Lord's house. Some
claimingto be Christians have no house at all, and
others who have houses of worship, allow them to
be so badly constructed and meanly kept, that the
worshippers must have a gross idea of the God
worshipped there. They have no sexton, but little
light and less heat, and but few worshippers ; and
some of them seem to love the creature more than
the Creator. But notwithstanding there is so little
attention among the people to Church building.
ON CHURCH BUILDING. 15>7
Church keeping, and Church going, many ot the
preachers are more dehnquent than the people.
There are but too many preachers, and perhaps
some of them growing old, wiio have never aided
in building a house for God or even planting a
Church. They are waiting for others to plant
Churches, build houses and secure them a good
salary ; and then they will water those congrega-
tions and occupy those pulpits ready furnished to
their hands.
Will my brethren in the ministry suffer the word
of exhortation 1 Let us turn our attention to the
Waste phices of Zion as well as to the wilderness ;
plant Churches, build and rebuild houses of wor-
ship, and be faithful in our attention to them, and
see what the Lord will do for us this year. Would
every preacher in the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church plant one Church and build one meeting-
house this year, there would be more than one
.housand congregations organized and the same
lumber of Church houses built in our branch of
Zion, in the year 1849, and more than double that
number of souls saved. Brethren, let us try, let us
begin the year with God and his cause, relying on
his promises, and see if he will not pour us out
such a blessing that there will not be room enough
to contain it.
198 CHURCH BUSINESS.
CHURCH BUSINESS.
The fall sessions of the Presbytery is at hand ;
much business ought to be attended to ; theologi-
cal schools must be acted on and reported to the
committee appointed by the last General Assembly
of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. (See
Minutes of the last Assembly.) Every Presbytery,
according to the constitution of the Church, should
have one or more missionaries constantly employed
in its bounds; and would it not be good policy
for every Synod to have at least one missionary
constantly employed in its bounds, to learn its
destitutions, as well as to stir up its ministers and
Churches to a faithful discharo^e of duty, and report
the condition of the whole field, and secure laborers,
if possible, to occupy the whole ground.
This article is not designed to argue the impor-
tance ot such measures, but to bring the matter up
before the Presbyteries ; though we could fill our
mouth with arguments.
Let every Presbytery call for volunteers to take
the circuit, and if they cannot be had, draft a
sufficient supply ; and let each Presbytery feel it
must be done. This is the way we usecf to feel
when the work of God and the worth of souls lay
near our hearts. We have a good constitution.
CHURCH BUSINESS. 199
providing for the Cluirches, both missionaries and
pastors ; and we now have a Board of Foreign and
Domestic Missions. Our system is good in its great
outUnes, and the business of the Church now is,
to fill up those outlines by having efficient pastors,
missionaries, and agents, to carry out the measures.
No system, however good, will succeed well, unless
there is efficiency to carry out the plan. And next,
the people must help sustain and patronize pastors,
circuit riders, and aid the agents of the Missionary
Board, The people may be faulty in this matter
and not patronize as they should, but the fault ia
fact, of their delinquency is the preacher's, because
he does not teach them that the workman is worthy
of his meat. Some preachers iua.y teach the people
they must support them because they are needy;
but perhaps never touch the broad principle that
the workman is worthy of his meat, that every man
ouaht to be rewarded according; to his own work.
This is the principle the Judge of quick and dead
will regard at the last day ; let us regard it in the
Church.
Brother Editor, as Ions smooth articles are
seldom read, we hope this short one will be read
by all, and that the judicatories of the Church will
not let their doctrines and plan of operations be
lost for want of energy. "A good foundation may
be laid for a building, but through much weariness
the building may decay, and through idleness of the
bands, the house droppeth through." — Solomon.
200 CLAIMS OF THE
Perhaps you may hear tVoin me again on this
subject ; we would be glad if an abler hand would
take hold of this subject, whether the fault lies in
the constitution or in the men into whose hands it
has fallen, and who solemnly bound themselves to
see the constitution and government of the Church
carried out.
CLAIMS OF THE DIFFERENT
DENOMINATIONS.
My attention has been called of late to the
claims of different sectaries, claiming to be Chris-
tians, vi^ho speak of themselves as the Church,
and denounce all others as heretics. I have been
led to examine their claims to such high authority,
and I cannot see, either in their organization or
character, anything that would justify such high
claims.
The first that I shall notice, claiming to be the
Church of Christ, exclusively, is that sectary,
callf^d by some Christians, by others Reformers,
and by others Campbelhtes. The distinctive pecu-
liarity which constitutes them the Church, is the
doctrine of baptism, by immersion, for the remission
of sins. This method of salvation, they say,
coimnenced on the day of Pentecost, aYid ever
since that dav, no one can be saved without
DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS. 201
immersion for tlie remission of sins; and only such
as hold that doctrine, can claim to he the Church.
They do not say that this was always God's
method of salvation, but only since the day of
Pentecost.
Now, I will set up the ark of God against this
dogma; "To him give all the prophets witness,
that through his name, whosoever believeth in him,
shall receive remission of sins," Acts x, 43. God
has revealed but one method of saving sinners, and
that is by faith in Jesus Christ. The claims ot
that people, therefore, who say they are the Church,
is founded on a dangerous innovation ; but examine
their Christian morality, their observance of the
Sabbath, &c., and see if they have higher claims ta
the Church, than all others.
The next that I shall notice is the Baptist
denomination. They claim to be the Church, the
only Church of Christ, on earth, and this claim is
founded on believers being baptized by immersion;
and, although they denounce the Reformers as here-
tics, and will not commune with them because they
are not the Church, they denounce all others, who.
notwithstanding they are orthodox in everything
but the mode of baptism, as not being the Church.
What, then, is the great distinguishing doctrine
that gives them the right to call themselves the
Church? Is it not water baptism, by immersion?
May wc not here set up vhe ark of God beside this
dogma? Gal. vi, 15: "For 'n C'lrist Jesus,
202 CLAIMS OF THE, ETC.
neither circumcision avaiierli anytliing^ nor uncir-
cuiucision, but a new creature."
xA-gain : " the kintrdoni of God is not meat and
drink, but righteousness, and peace and joy in the
Holy Ghost." We ask whether their Christian
inorahty gives them a greater right to be the
Church ? This, they do not claim, and others
may not award it to them.
TJie tliird denomination claiming to be the only
Church of Christ on earth, is the EpiscopaHans;
this claim is founded on Apostolic succession. They
can trace their Church, by regular succession, to
the Apostles; they are the Church, the only
Church; and they are more consistent than some
others, who, while they claim to be the only
Church, and will not commune with others, will,
nevertheless, preach, sing, and pray with them.
The Episcopalians will do neither. To co-operate
with other Christians in religious worship, would
be to acktiowledge them as belonging to the only
Church. Now, in running back to the Aposdes,
do they not contradict them ? 1 Cor. xiv, 34 : " Let
your women keep silence in the Churches." Can
it be a regular succession from the Aposdes, to
come down to us through a civil king or priest,
whether religious or irreligious I Did not Elizabeth
claim to direct the Church? And did not Paul
forbid women to control the Church 1
But let us next inquire into the religious chRr-
acter of that j)eopie, and learn whether their
t^
PFRSECUTION, ETC. 203
Cliristian morality authorizes them to say, " Stand
by thyself— we are more holy than thou."
The fourth sectary I shall notice, claiming to be
the only Church of Christ on earth, is the Roman
(/Htholics. This caps the climax. Infallibility is
professed b}' them; and they only have the keys
of the Kingdom. These keys were given to Peter,
by the Saviour, and handed down l)y him, to the
middle of the 19th century. But Peter claimed no
more than the other Apostles, the Elders, &c. He
exhorts, but does not command. See 1 Pet. v, 1.
But, in conclusion, what is the Christian morality
of that Church 1 Let its bloody history answer
the question.
PERSECUTION HAS CONTRIBUTED
TO THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL.
Acts viii, 1, 2, 3, 4 : ''And Saul was consenting
unto his death. And at that time there was a
great persecution ao:ainst the Church which was
at Jerusalem : and they were all scattered abroad
tliroughout the regions of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles. And devout men carried
Stephen to his burial, and niade great lameiitarion
over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the
Cliiuch, entering into every house, and haling
204 PERSECUTION AND THE
men and women, committed them to pris. At.
Therefore, they that were scattered abroad went
every where preaching the word."
May the persecutions of the present time be
followed with like effects.
Ministers of the gospel are laborers with God.
It is now time, high time, dear brethren in the
ministry, to awake out of sleep ; and particularly
preachers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
A crisis has come up in the history of the world,
and particularly in our Churchy •which calls for
ministers that will not hold tLe'/-! peace, day nor
night; men who will lift up their voice like a
trumpet, and show the house of Israel their sins
Brethren, we have a great work to do, and we
ought to be prepared for it and at our work.
Personal piety is called for at the present time, and
without it, the preacher, though he had the tongue
of an angel, can do but little, if any good.
Secondly — He must be consecrated to his work :
he must feel himself not his own, and must be
entirely devoted to the work of the Lord ; both as
Pastor and Missionary.
The Lord Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation,
calls to arms! — to the field of battle !
" To arms ! — to arms ! — I hear him cry !
'Tis yours to conquer or to die."
To those who have no stated charges let me
say, Can you^not take the field this year, and
spivEad oj? the gospel. 205
travel through the Churches, two and two, and
hold protracted meetings in the most needy places
— cities, towns, villages, and country places. We
need not expect the Church to arise and shake
herself from the dust, until her ministers get up
into the high mountains, and their voices are
heard. " Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make
the paths straight."
It is the preacher's duty, instrumentally, to
enUghten and warm the Church ; the Church
needs to be enlightened in the duty of prayer, and
in the duty of supporting the Gospel ; but the
preacher must not sit still until the people awake.
He must tell them their duty b}' doing his own.
We will never see better times until the watchmen
are awake, and crying aloud — not regarding their
Hves — to supply the great lack of service in the
Church.
My brethren in the ministry, bear with me ; an
old man feels great interest for the present genera-
tion, as well as for every one that is to come. Can
ne sit still while he can move a muscle ; or has a
soul to see and feel the destitutions of Zion ? Can
he fold his hands in view of her troubles ? He
cannot — but must exclaim in the language of good
Jeremiah, " Oh ! that my head were water, and
mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep
d:iy and night for the slain of the daughter of my
people." 01). ! if he could see all his vouuirer
brotlireri out iii the field, and the Church susrainijiir
206 P E R S E C U T r O N , ETC.
tlieni in their labor, he could rejoice! for he would
helieve God would again revive iiis work; and
then, like an old Simeon, he would say, "Let thy
servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen thy
salvation.''
Oh ! it is important we should feel the worth
of souls, and the word of the Lord like fire shut np
in our hones. Bear with me, my brethren, the
love of Christ constraineih me; his benevolence
should move us to feel and act, and to devote our
lives to his service.
I heard a preacher say once, that he never
lacked, when he was devoted to the Lord's work.
If the people will not do their duty, the blessing
will return into your own bosoms. God will not
send you a warfare at your own charges; He will
provide, whether the people will feed you or not.
But the people will sustain you ; and many, who
are not members of the Church, will help you,
when they see you devoted to the Lord's work.
We should awake, for the Kingdom of Heaven
is at hand ! There is a better day coming, and it
is not far distant ! Let us not " be weary in well
doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint
not."
" The reaping time will surely come,
And angels shout the harvest home."
BE PATIENT IN TRIBULATION. 207
BE PATIENT IN TRIBULATION.
ROMANS XII. 12.
On this sul)ject I wish to offer a few thoughts,
it is designed for practical use.
For a Christian to be cahn and serene on a
smooth surface, is no great evidence of superior
attaintiiients ; hut to l)e patient in trouble, calm on
a roujjh sea and unshaken in the storm, evinces
superior attainments in the Christian graces. This
is a troublesome world, and he who would pass
throuo;!! it comfortably, must be patient. Patience,
as explained by one, is that calm and unruffled
temper with which a good man bears the evils of
life. It may be supposed that it only belongs
to the afflicted to exercise patience; but neither
health nor prosperity can be enjoyed without it.
Patience is, as all other graces are, of an humble
character; but does not alone belong to humble
life : it belongs to the most dignified and the most
exalted station ; it is essential to our happiness in
every condition in life.
While the Christian is in this world, he has
trouble on every hand ; without are fightings, within
are fears; the world, the flesh, and the devil, are
all combined against him. The devil will try us
by presumption and despair; the world will try us
by vvpaltli, honor, and pleasure ; the flesh will try
SOS BE P A 1" I K N T IN TRIBULATION.
(IS by the pleasures of the eje and the pride ot'life-.
it seems to be a part of tlie Christian's legacy in
the present world — they who enter heaven do it
through great tribulation. As therefore the Chris-
tian must have tribulation, he ought to arm himself
with the whole armor of God, that he may be able
to stand against all the wiles of the devil; but let
him be armed as he may, he must let patience have
her perfect work. As we must have trouble in the
present world, and patience is essential to our
happiness, we will offer a few arguments to excite
the Christian to be patient in tribulation.
And 1st, He should be patient in tribulation,
because God has enjoined it in his word ; had he
not considered it necessary to our happiness in the
present world, he would not have required it,
2nd. God himself is a God of patience : see
Rom, XV. 5. If God, in the management of his
affairs, exercises patience, we should be patient.
3rd. The example of Christ ; and the most pious
men in the world were patient. The Saviour was
patient — he opened not his mouth ; when reviled
he reviled not again : the prophet Isaiah describes
him thus — "We shall not fail nor be discourao;ed
until he set judgment in the earth." You have
heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end
of the Lord, in permitting his afflictions, &c.
4th, The circumstances of life require patience ;
we need the exercise of patience from others
toward us; and we must exercise patience towards
BE PATIENT IN TRIBULATION, 209
Others, '• Patience," sajs Mr. Jay, " must be
displayed under provocations; our opinions, repu
tations, connections, offices, and business, render u>
widely vulnerable. The characters of men are
various; their pursuits and interests perpetually
clash. Some try us by their ignorance, some by
their folly, some by their perverseness, some by their
malice. Here then is an opportunity for the triumph
of patience. We are very susceptive of irritation ;
anger is eloquent, revenge is sweet ; but to stand
calm and collected, to suspend the blow which
passion was urgent to strike, to drive the reasons
of clemency as far as they will go, to bring forward
fairly in view, the circumstances of mitigation,
to distinguish between surprise and deliberation,
infirmity and crime ; or, if infliction be deemed
necessary, to leave God to be both judge and
executioner. This a Christian should labor after."
" He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding;
but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly."
5th. We should be patient in trouble, for pa-
tience worketh experience, and experience hope,
and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Ghost.
Patience in trouble will renew our strength ;
the working hand is the strong hand ; the deep-
rooted tree is the one that has had its top shaken
oftenest and hardest ; the most skillful mariner has
sailed on the roughest seas. It is given to the
18 " ^
21G H K V I V A L S.
Cliiistian, not only to l)elieve in Christ, but also
to suffer for his sake; and present sufferings for
Clirist's sake, peaceably borne, will work for us a
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
If patience under sufferinji will promote our eternal
happiness, then let the Christian be patient in
tribulation.
REVIVALS.— GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
After long seeming neglect, I send you this
epistle. I have had but little opportunity of
writing, for months past; have been visiting the
Churches to see how they do, and have but
seldom preached twice in the same congregation.
Ahhongh I have been pretty constantly at work
in the Lord's vineyard, little fruit yet appears;
but the plowman plows in hope, and finally is a
partaker of his hope : so we ought to labor in the
Lord's field, and, by the blessing of God, will reap
the fruit of our labor.
I learn from the Banner and other sources, that
many changes have taken place in Lebanon, since
I left; some citizens, devoted to the interests of
Zion, have been carried by angels to Abraham's
bosom ; and others are waiting the signal to fly
away and be at rest. A revival has been realized
GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 211
again, in our dear Lebanon ; many have been
brought from darkness to light, from the power
of Satau to God; many, wliose names have been
inscribed in the family record, are now enrolled in
the Lamb's book of life, which will be read at the
last day, the day of judgment.
Much good seed has been sown in Lebanon ;
have tares sprung up ? An enemy hath done this.
Are some good people ready to pull up the tares ?
Let both grow together till the harvest; let angels,
by the direction of the Head of the Church, gather
them together to be burned, and gather the wheat
into the garner. Unskillful hands and unsanctified
hearts, are not prepared to pull up even the tares;
they do not know the heart, and might pull up
the true saint. Judge nothing before the time.
Religious excitement requires divine skill to direct.
Uzza's hand touching the ark, may displease
the Lord. Troubled water requires a skillful
pilot. May the excitement at Lebanon, of whatever
kind settle down in a calm of love to God and
man.
Although I was not at the last General Assembly
of our Church, yet I was pleased to read its journals.
The Report of the Board of Missions greatly
interested me; and although its doings may seem
like a very small pebble thrown into the sea, its
little waves may increase, and reach the distant
shore. May many hearts be stirred up to sustain
the cause of missions.
212 REVIVALS.
Tiie Board of Publication is destiued, under the
blessing of God, to preach Christ to every family.
May it always have warm, practical friends.
Theological institutions interested the Assembly,
and the subject was discussed ; and although but
little was done, yet that little stone may become
a mountain, and all our ministers may have an
opportunity of theological as well as hterary training.
The door is now open, and the way prepared
to take action on a very important point, the
endowment.
" Brother Cossitt, I wrote you and other brethren,
during the sitting of the Assembly, but my letters
did not reach in time, on another subject ; which
has interested me, and on which I would have
been glad if the Assembly had taken some favorable
action. The celebration of the Semi-Centennial
Anniversary of the great revival of 1800, which
gave birth to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church,
(an American Church, a revival Church) and which
also gave rise to many valuable institutions ; and
since which time many have gone forth, and
knowledge has increased. This subject may be
acted on at the next Assembly, but it should be
thought of, and prayed over, before hand. 1 would
be pleased, could the Celebration be on the day the
meeting commenced, when the work developed
itself so powerfully.
Will our Assembly, at its next meeting, which
will be not far from where the revival commenced,
C H (i I S T I A N F E I. L O S H t I' . "2 J 3
recoinnientl that protracted or can)|> meetings he
held in all our Clmrches, at that time, <;ommencing
with fasting and prayer 1
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP.
Jesus Christ has promised, that where two or
three are gathered together in his name, he will be
in the midst of them.
Now, if two or three Christians, and members
of a Church, are thrown together in the same
neighborhood, town, or city, ought they not to
unite together, in some religious form, to ])r()mote
their own spiritual interest, and the interest of the
Church ; and command all the means in their
power to promote the Saviour's cause ? and \\ here
can two or three be thrown together in this world,
without some means, and sufficient means, to
promote their own good, and the good of others,
if they would only use those means ? Can they
not meet, and speak one to another 1 Can they
not pray and sing together? Can they not have
Sabbath Schools ; and, if they jiave no preacher,
can they not try to get one 1 And can they not
exhort one another; and, if they use all the means
in their power, cannot two or three build up a
Church I And will not Christ be in the midst
214 CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP.
of tliein, and bless them ; and as they prosper,
can they not build a good house of worship 1
And can tliey not secure, and sustain, a pastor or
missionary 1 And when they are all at work, and
always at work, working with God, and working
with one another, can such a Church die? The
candle-Slick has never been removed, except from
the negligent and slothful !
By religious industry and economy, they will
secure the confidence and aid of others; but who
can have confidence ; and who will aid a few or
many, when they will not help themselves, and
take care of what aid is afi^orded them ? And are
not two or three, or a large congregation criminal,
who have means at hand, and will not command
or use the means to sustain themselves and build
up the Church.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH
CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
In giving a succinct account of the origin and progress
of this infant branch of Zion, I will observe, in the first
place, that the revival of reUgion in the Presbyterian
Church, out of which Cumberland Presbyterians sprang,
was brought about by the ordinary means, though used in
an extraordinary way.
The Rev. James M'Gready,* with a few other individuals
of Logan County, Kentucky, near the close of the last
century, began, like the remnant of Israel in the days of
Ahab, to mourn over the desolations of Zion. At length
tliey drew up, and adopted, the following preamble and
covenant : —
" When we consider the word and promises of a
compassionate God, to the poor lost family of Adam, we
find the strongest encouragement for Christians to pray in
faith — to ask, in the name of Jesus, for the conversion of
* It was under the preaching of this venerable Father in Israel, that
the woik of God first appeared in Kentucky.
216 BRIEF H I S r (> k I C A I, SKETCH.
their fellow men. Noue ever went to Christ when on
earth, with the case of their friends, that were denied ;
and, although the days of his humiliation are ended, yet,
for the encouragement of his people, he has left it on
record, that where two or three agree, upon earth, to ask
in prayer, believing, it shall be done. Again : whatsoever
you shall asTc the Father in my name, that will I do, that
the Father may he glorified in the Son. With these promises
before us, we feel encouraged to unite our supphcations to
a prayer-hearing God, for the outpouring of his spirit, that
his people may be quickened and comforted, and that
our children, and sinners generally, may be converted.
Therefore, we bind ourselves to observe the third Saturday
of each month, for one year, as a day of fasting and
prayer, for the conversion of sinners in Logan County and
throughout the world. "We also engage to spend one
half hour every Saturday evening, beginning at the setting
of the sun, and one half hour every Sabbath morning, at
the rising of the sun, in pleading with God to revive his
work."
The Great Head of the Church evidently owned and
blessed tliis extraordinary effort, and soon commenced
a powerful revival of religion, in the bounds of the
Transylvania Presbytery. This Presbytery Avas divided
in 1802, by the Synod of Kentucky, and the Cumberland
Presbytery formed, including most of the preachers that
had been active in promoting the revival, and embracing
many of the societies that had been converted and organized
after the revival commenced. The measures adopted for
the purpose of perpetuating and extending this glorious
work of God, and for the purpose of supplying newly-
organized congregations with preaching, soon incurred the
displeasure of the Synod, which will appear in the following
letter : —
BRIEF I! I S T () K 1 C A L >; K F. T C H . 217
CIRCULAR L E T T E R ,
Addressed to the Societies and Bretliren of the Presby-
terian Churchy recently under the care of the Council^
by the late Oumberland Presbytery ; in ivldch there
is a correct statement of the origin, jirogress, and
termination, of the difference between the Synod of
Kentucky, and the former Presbytery of Cumberland.
Dear Brethren — The time is at last come, when we
must either sacrifice our religious liberties and conscience,
to what we judge unreasonable demands, cease our
endeavors to promote the work of God among you, as we
have hitherto done, or constitute a Presbytery separate
from the Synod of Kentucky. We choose the latter as
the only alternative, in which we can have the answer
of a good conscience. We therefore deem it expedient to
give you a retrospective view of the cause, together with
the progressive means, by which matters have been brought
to this issue. •
A number of you will easily recollect, that about the
close of the last century, or beginning of the present,
God, in a very remarkable manner, began to revive his
work amongst the inhabitants of this western country.
The first symptoms of which, appeared under the ministerial
labors of the Rev. James M'Gready, in Logan County.
At the first commencement of this glorious revival, as
also in its progress, the bodily affections and exercises
of a number of those who were its subjects, were very
uncommon. This soon caused a rumor to go abroad, and
the people from every quarter come out to see. The
consequence of which was, they not only had their curiosity
satisfied, but a great number had their hearts deeply
aflfected. This, in the hand of God, was a blessed means
19
218 B u I E r H I -s r o n i c v [, s k i-; t c m .
of spreadin" the work through various ytarts of our country.
For a while, at first, all the ministers in our bounds, seemed
to participate in the glorious effusion of the Holy Spirit,
and correspondent to this, proclaimed themselves friends
to the REVIVAL. But, alas! it was soon after discoverable,
that some of them had changed their opinion, otherwise
they had never been well established. The consequence
of this apparent change may easily be inferred ; notwith-
standing the work still progressed. And although the few
who remained friends to the revival, labored in the work
of the ministry niffht and day^ yet the cries of the people
for more preaching were incessant ; and those cries soon
became so general, that they were heard from many parts
of an extensive frontier. The ministers, in return, could
only pity, and pray for them ; the congregations being so
numerous, and in such a scattered situation, that they
could not, by any possible endeavor, supply them.
About this time, a venerable father in the ministry,*
who was then resident in one of the upper counties of
Kentucky, came down and attended a communion with
some of our preachers in a vacant congregation : and he,
havinof learned the situation of our country, and the
pressing demand that there was for more preaching,
proposed the plan of encouraging such amongst us, as
appeared to be men of good talents, and who also
discovered a disposition to exercise their gifts in a public
way, to preach the gospel, although they might not have
acquired that degree of human education, which the letter
of discipline requires. This proposition was truly pleasing
to our preachers ; and, indeed, it found general acceptance
amongst the people, as soon as intimations thereof \sero
given. The consequence was, an uncommon spirit of
* Hcv. David Hitt,
B ri 1 K F 11 1 S T O R I C A I. SKETCH. 019
prayer now seemed to prevail throughout the soeieties,
that the great Head of the Church would, not only open
an effectual door into the ministry, but also that he would
raise up, qualify, and bring men into that sacred office,
whose labors he would own and bless. And, brethren,
that God who never told Israel to seek Mm in vain,
evidently heard and answered the prayers of his people.
Some, whose minds had been previously impressed with
the duty of calling sinners to repentance, and of bearing
public testimony to the work of God and the religion of
Jesus Christ, and upon whom, also, the eyes of the Church,
for some time, had been fixed with a degree of expecta-'
tion, now made their exercise of mind on this subject,
known to their Fathers in the ministry. The prospect
was truly pleasing to the preachers, yet they considered
it expedient to act with the greatest caution: for although
tlie step about to be taken, was not unprecedented in the
Presbyterian Church, yet, seeing it was out of the common
track, they Avere well aware, that some of their brethren
in the ministry would oppose the measure. However,
they ventured to encourage three or four of the young
men to pi-epare written discourses, and present them to
the Transylvania Presbytery as a specimen of their
abilities. They accordingly prepared discourses, and at
the next stated session of said Presbytery, their case was
brought before that reverend body. They met with warm
opposition, arising principally, however, fi*om a quarter
rather inimical to the revival. But after a lengthy con-
versation on the subject, in which there was much altei-ca-
tion, a majority of the members consented and agi-eed,
that the young men might be permitted to read their dis-
courses to an aged member alone, who should make report
to the Judicature. We believe the report was favorable.
It was thou directed, as well as we can recollect, that
220 BRIEF IIISTOmCAL SKETCH.
those men should prepare other discourses to be read at the
next Presbytery. They accordingly prepared, and three
of them attended ; but, as soon as the subject of their case
was resumed, a warm debate ensued. At length, however,
a majurity of the members agreed to hear their discourses.
After they were read, the question was put : '^ Shall these
men be received as candidates for the ministry ?" The
vote being taken, one of the three was received, and two
rejected by a majority of one vote only. This circumstance
much depressed the spirits of a number of the preachers, who
were real friends to the revival, and likewise the congrega-
tions generally, who had so earnestly desired their licensure,
but more especially the spirits of those two candidates were
depressed. They were men in a matrimonial state, and
could not consistently with those relative duties, by which
they were bound to their families, go and acquire the
knowledge of all those forms of literature required by the
book of discipline. Fain would they have returned home,
and solaced themselves in the enjoyment of their domestic
comforts, as private Christians, if they could have done so,
and kept a good conscience : but this they could not do ;
nor could they with clearness become members of any
other Christian society, where the ministerial door was not
so strait and difficult, and consequently, where they
mio'ht have been at liberty to exercise their popular talents
with approbation. No : they were attached to all the
essential doctrines, and likewise the discipline of the Pres-
byterian Church. It was in this Church they were early
dedicated to God by their parents, and in this Church
they first felt the power of the gospel upon their hearts,
and tasted the sweetness of that grace, which brings salva-
tion to man. Therefore in the conamunion of this Church
they earnestly desired to live and die.
By this time a number of others, who were generally
BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. 221
esteemed eminent for gifts and piety, together with those
Mho had ah-eadj offered as candidates, became solemnly
impressed to proclaim the word of life and salvation to
sinners. But alas ! the door of admittance seemed to be
shut against them.
In this dark state of matters, both the ministers them-
selves, and likewise the candidates who had already offered,
and others who were looking forward towards the ministry,
together Avith all the societies in our bounds, began now,
in good earnest, to reaUze the necessity of crying mightily
to that God, who has Church judicatures in his hands, as
Avell as the hearts of individuals. In the meantime,
candidates, and other eminent characters, who were
assiduously endeavoring in one way or another to promote
the work of God, were encouraged by their fathers in the
ministry to continue to their gifts in a way of public
exhortation, which several of them did, laboring much till
the next Presbytery, at which time several petitions were
presented with hundreds of signatures, praying the
Presbytery to license and send to their relief certabi
denominated persons. The subject was again taken into
consideration, after which the Presbytery that was per-
sonally acquainted with those men embraced in the petitions,
knowing their piety, soundness in the faith, aj^tness to
teach, ^c, and taking into view the situation of the
congregations, and the extraordinary demand for preach-
ing, determined to hear trial sermons from three or four
of them (at the then present session) to be considered as
popular discourses, which accordingly were delivered, and
sustained by a large majority of the judicature. And after
an examination on various subjects, touching the ministry,
which was also sustained, they w^ere " licensed to preach the
gospel within the bounds of the Transylvania Presbytery,
or wherever ebe, Goil in his providence, might call them."
222 BRIEF HISTORICAL S K E T C II .
Certain members who had always been opposed to tlie
measure, entered their protest against the proceedings of
the majority. But the majority were not deterred thereby,
from pursuing in their official capacity, that method which
they conscientioiisly believed best calculated to promote
the Redeemer's kingdom in the world.
The Synod, not long after this, divided the Transylvania
Presbytery, and formed what was called the Cumberland
Presbytery, the bounds of which included all the members
that attended the preceding session of the Transylvania
Presbytery. This act gave a decided majority m the new
Presbytery to the promoters of the revival, and those who
were friendly to tJie licensure of the aforementioned young
men ; which majority ever after continued and increased
until the Presbytery was dissolved.
The licensing of these men, on the petition of the con-
gregations, seemed to be a mean in God's hand of increasing
instead of decreasing, the demand for supplies. They,
(the preachers) laboring both night and day, leaving their
families for a considerable length of time, preaching the
word, planting new societies, and watering those that were
planted, would necessarily increase such demand, if attend-
ed with divine influence. And, brethren, we need only
appeal to many of you, to witness the success that evidently
attended those men's labors. The feeling and experience
of your own hearts are better evidences to you on that
subject, than all the reasons that could be advanced.
TJiough you may have ten thousand instructors, yet you
have not many fathers in Christ.
The Presbytery, in pursuing what they believed to be
their duty, continued from time to time to license and
ordain such men, both learned and unlearned, (what is
meant by unlearned here, is not a want of common English
education,) as they thought would be useful laboi-ers in .the
BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. 223
vineyard of the Lord. And, if the old maxim be a good
one, ("judge of causes by their effects,") the Presbytery
will never have just cause to regret that they engaged in,
and pursued such measures : for it is an incontesdble fact,
judging by our Lord's rule, (^By their fruit ye shall knoiv
them,') that there are multitudes of both men and women
who will have cause to rejoice eternally that ever they
heard those men preach a crucified Christ.
The members who entered their protest, sent a petition
to the next session of Synod, referring them to the protest,
'• which they thouglit should have operated as an appeal,"
in which they comjilained of various irregularities in the
Cumberland Pi-esbytery with respect to the licensure and
ordination of men to the ministry. The Synod at that time
did or said but little about the matter ; but, at their
succeeding session, they appointed a Commission of Synod
to meet shortly afterwards in the bounds of the Cumberland
Presbytery at Gasper river, and directed certain members
of the Commission to cite previously to that meeting, all
our preachers, licentiates, candidates and public exhorters,*
who generally met in obedience to the citation.
We would observe here, brethren, that although the
appointment of the Commission was, we hope, well intended,
yet we believe it was unhappily selected as to a part of it,
from what appeared in the prosecution of their mission. A
number of that body, however, both preachers and elders,
were meek and friendly disposed men, who felt themselves
aa brethren, disposed to pursue the most pacific measures,
* There was much noise about so many exliorters liaving been authorizt'd
by the Presbytery. The members thought with the apostle, that it was tlie
dutv and privile^je of all Christians to exhort in some manner: and the
design they had in licensing such as made application was to giveihein moro
wei'-rht amouL' the people, without the most <iis'.ant prospect of licensing
them to preaoh. cxc.pt those whose talenis might jutftify euch an act.
224 BRIEF TI r rt T n I C A I, SKETCH.
according to their order from the stated Synod to heal the
breach that threatened the Church. But on the contrary
it is notorious, that another part of that body were men of
different tempers ; and it was an unfortunate circumstance
that those men were the most forward influential members.
After the Commission had met, and also the accused,
who were then known as the majority of the Cumberland
Presbytery, the Commission selected from the mitmtcs,
arid other sources, a number of irregularities, as chargeable
against the majority of the Presbytery, all of which, how
ever, were comprised in the two following particulai-s, viz •
1st. The licensing of unlearned men, or such as had not
been examined on the learned languages, &c. 2nd. That
those men, who were licensed, both learned and vmlearned,
were only required to adopt the Confession of Faith partially,
that is as far as they believed it to agree with the word of
God.
As to the first ground of complaint, the Presbytery not
only plead the exception made in the discipline in extra-
ordinary cases, but also the example of a number of the
Presbyteries in different parts of the United State?.* They
* Amonj the many instances of this kind that might be nientioneii, are the
following, viz: Mr. Beck who was received by the Presbytery in North
Carolina — Mr. Bloodworth by Orange — Mr. Moore by Hanover — Mr. Marquis
by Redstone, and Mr. Kemper and Abell by the Transylvania Presbytery.
Likewise, in Pennsylvania many 3-ears ago. a poor illiterate man, a native
of Wales, conceiving that he had an internal call to preach the gospel, made
his case known to the Presbytery. But because he was not sufficiently
acquainted with the English language to undergo an examination in it, or
in any other but his mothe? tongue, the Presbytery therefore, instead of
treating him without notice, sent to Virginia for President Davis, who was
also a native of Wales, to perform the necessary examination previous to
licensure, who on his return to Virginia, declared that he never had assisted
in bringing a man into the ministry with greater freedom in his life.
In short, the majority of Cumberland Presbyter}', were of opinion, that the
compilers of the Confession of Faith and discipline of our Church, never
Intended the rales there laid down for examination and trial of candidates
for the ministry, to he considered an infalliblo standard by which tlie ilolj-
BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. 225
moreover appealed to a higher authority than either of the
foregoing, which was the new testament, and inquired if
there was any precept or example in that, which condemned
the practice of licensing what they (the Commission) called
unlearned men to preach the gospel. It was likewise
asked, if God could not as easily call a Presbyterian to
preach, who had not a liberal education, as he could a
Methodist or Baptist, a number of whom are acknowledged
to be respectable and useful ministers of Jesus Christ.
As to the second point, the Synod had suggested that
the candidates could have adopted the "Alkoran," in the
same manner they adopted the Confession of Faith. This
was acknowledged to be literally true, but not applicable in
the case of the young men ; for the Presbytery contended
that the very act of the candidates receiving the Confes-
sion at all, was an evidence that they esteemed it above all
HUMAN creeds ; and the exception, or condition, in which
they were indulged, was only designed to meet some
conscientious scruples, in points not fundamental nor
essential, particularly the idea of fatality, that seemed
to some of them to be there taught under the high and
mysterious doctrine of predestination.
The reasons offered by the Presbytery, on these points,
did not appear satisfactory to the Commission of Synod :
therefore, much altercation took place, during which time,
no doubt, Christ was wounded in the house of Jus friends,
by some, perhaps, of both judicatures. It is well recollected
at any rate, that the Presbytery during the debate, were
Gliost nmst be limited, when he calls men to that sacred office. They iiad
no doubt but that reverend body, at the same time that they laid down ihosa
prudential rules, believed that the great Head of the Church could, and
actually did, when he thought proper, brinsj men into the ministry \% ithout
the aid of those literarj' (]uaUfications : and if granted that he nii^'ht in one
instance, why not in more ; yea, wliy not in many. Who will limii tlit> Holy
one of Israel ?
226 BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH.
often reminded bv certain members of the Commission,
that thej they stood at the Commissioner's bar ! Indeed,
brethren, it appeared to us very evident, that some of the
leading members of that body, assumed attitudes and an
authorit\^, which but illy comported with the character
of ministers of the meek and lovrly Jesus sent on a pacific
mission.
After much reasoning, as well as positive assertion on
the subject, the Commission demanded of the Presbytery,
to give up to them all those men whom they had hcensed
and ordained, for re-examination. The Presbytery refused,
suggesting the danger of the example, and also that such a
demand was without precedent. They moreover declared,
that they believed the discipline of the Presbyterian Church
had vested the sole power in the several Presbyteries, to
judge of the faith and qualifications of their own candidates
for the ministry.*
After the refusal of the Presbytery, the Moderator of
the Commission, proceeded to abjure the young men to sub-
mit to their authority and be re-examined, when one of them
asked liberty for himself and brethren to retire, and ask
counsel of God before they would give an answer. This
reasonable request was, at first, strongly opposed by one
or two leading members of the Commission, but at length it
was granted, and the young men retired to ask counsel of
niM who is all wise. In a short time after they returned,
when they were asked, individually, if they would submit
as above. They all, except one or two, who wanted longer
time to deliberate, answered in the negative, for the follow-
*0n the principle of the Commission's demand, no Presbytery would know
when there was an addition made to their body by a new ordination, in as
micfh as the next Synod miyht demand a re-ex amina^ ion of the newly
ordaii.c:) niiiii-ter, jadse him uuqualiHed, and declare he should no longer
prcac': :is a ri-.'sbyteriau.
BRIEF IIISTOKICAL SKETCH. 227
in<; reasons, viz : First They believed the Cumberland
Presbytery, which was a regular Church Judicature, to be
competent judges of the faith and abilities of their own
candidates. Secondly. That they themselves had not been
charged with heresj"- and immorality, and, if tiiey had, the
Presbytery would have been the proper Judicature first to
have called them to an account. Nothwithstanding, the
Commission of Synod proceeded formally to prohibit all the
men, learned and unlearned, whom the Cumberland Pres-
bytery had licensed and ordained, from preaching the
gospel in the name of Presbyterians, and also cited what
was called the old members to attend the next stated session
of Synod, to be examined on faith, and to answer for not
having given up their young brethren to be re-examined !
Here, brethren, w^e would ask, knowing that a number
of you have been thirty or forty years regular members of
the Presbyterian Church, if ever you knew an instance,
either in Europe or America, of a Synod undertaking to
prohibit preachers, who had not been accused by their own
or any other Presbytery ? We would also ask, if ever
you knev,' an instance of any reformed Church Judicature
silencing a minister or ministers, who had not been charged
with heresy, immorality, nor even what our discipline calls
contumacy ? This was certainly the case Avith the young
men. That is, they were not charged with either of the
above, yet they were prohibited and the Presbytery cen-
sured, because they would not acknowledge the authority
by which it was done.
The members of Presbytery then retired (but not in a
Presbyterial capacity) to consult what was best to be done,
and after deliberation, they agreed to encourage the young
men to continue the exercise of their respective fmctinns,
which they themselves determined to do, except in such
business as required the act of a Presbytery.
228 BRIEF HISTORICAL SKLTCII.
Some months after, there was a general meeting or
conncil held at Shilo, consisting of the ministers, elders,
and representatives, from vacancies •v^■hich formerly com-
posed a majority of Cumberland Presbytery. At that
council, it was agreed on to petition the General Assembly;
and in the mean time, cease our operations as a Presbytery
but continue to meet from time to time in the capacity of
a council, and promote the interests of the Church as well
as we could, until an answer could be obtained from the
Assembly. The council, at this meeting, unanimously
declared it to be their opinion, that the Commission of
Synod had acted contrary to discipline, which opinion was
corroborated by the next Assembly, (though not officially)
according to a private letter from a respectable member of
that body, a part of wliich is as follows :
" The unhappy diflferences in your quarter, so immediately
succeeding what a great proportion of the Presbyterian
interest in this place, believed to be a great revival of the
work of God, has excited deep concern, and our General
Assembly have had the matter fully before them. It
appeared to be the decided opinion of the majority in the
General Assembly, that no Synod had a right to proceed
against ministers or individuals, except the matter shall
have come before them, by appeal from the Presbytery.
That only a Presbytery could call its members to account
for errors in doctrine or practice. — That a man once
ordained by a Presbytery is an ordained minister, though
the Presbytery may have acted improperly in not requiring
the due qualifications ; and that even a Presbytery could
not afterwards depose, but for cause arising, or madepublic
after ordination ; that licentiates are ahvays in the power
of the Presbytery to examine them and to Avithdraw their
licensui'e at discretion ; but, that a Synod may act against
a Presbytery as such, by dissolving, di\^ding, censuring,
BRIEF II I S T 11 1 C A L SKETCH, 229
&c., consequently, that the dealings with the Cumberland
Prebjtery were legal, in dissolving thorn, and annexing
them to Transylvania, but wholly improper in suspending
ordained ministers, and still more improper was it, for a
Commission of Synod to do it. But though the rule about
knowledge of languages in our discipline is not often fully
complied with, and though the rule is not found m the
scriptures, yet it is so important, that though your case
was an imperious one, yet they seemed to fear you had
gone too far, especially in the licensures. But what the
General Assembly hath finally done, will appear very
inconclusive on these points ; because they wished to avoid
offending the Synod and the Presbytery ; and the minority
in the Assembly took advantage of this, to make the
business end as much as possible in such a manner as not
to be construed against the power of Synods and General
Assemblies. The General Assembly have, however,
questioned the regularity of the proceedings of your
Synod."
You may see, brethren, in the foregoing extracts, what
was the decided opinion of what may be called the collected
wisdom of the Presbyterian Church in the United Ststes on
the points for which we contend. And, perhaps, in exam-
ining the list of Commissioners who composed the Assembly,
the members will be found to stand as high for learning,
integrity, and piety, as a subsequent Assembly, which
differed with them in opinion. You will moreover see the
reason why we were not profited by the favorable ojnnion
of the Assembly. As to the Assembly's fearing we had
' gone too far in the licensures,' we will not pretend to say
their fears were altogether without foundation ; neverthe-
less, the Presbytery that have been without sin on this
? ibject, 'may cast the first stone.' — That is, the Presbytery
that have licensed as many as the Cumberland Presbytery
2S0 BRIEF HISTORICAL SKKTCR.
have done, ami have licensed no imwoper person to preach
the gospel.*
The Assembly addressed a letter to the Synod informing
tiiem, that what they had done 'was at least of questionable
regularity,' and requested them to review their proceed-
ings, and rectify what might have been done amiss. The
Synod, avc understood, reviewed but confirmed all their
Commission had done. The council, notwithstanding,
were encouraged to forward another petition, after which
they wei'e informed by a private letter, from another
influential member of the Assembly, that it would be most
proper for them to apply to the Synod to rescind their
former order, as it respected the Presbytery ; and if they
refused, then for the council to appeal to the Assembly,
which ' no doubt would redress their grievances.' The
official letter of that Assembh', not having come to hand,
the council thought it prudent to postpone doing any thing
in it, until such letter could be seen. After it was seen, a
number of the members of council thought the prospect of
a redress of grievances not flattering ; and at the next
council it was voted by a large majority to go into a
constituted state, and in that capacity, address the General
Assembly ; but by reason of the minority refusing to
acquiesce in what the majority had done, the council did
not still constitute a Presbytery. Afcer some time, some of
those who were of the majority, felt willing to comj)ly with
the recommendation of the member who wrote to us, and
told us to go up by appeal from the Synod, but before there
was an opportunity of doing it, Ave heard to our astonish-
ment, that the Assembly had decided in favor of the Svnod.
*The Camberland Pres'tntery liave reasoa to thank G.-d, that every man
wliom tliey licensed, except one iudividual, cculiuues to belicvo, pivacb. ai>d A
[tiacticc ilic gospel ol Clirist.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. "231
This step at once superseded the necessity of an appeal ;
therefore, the council generally thought it was now time
to constitute into a Presbytery, and proceed to business
again in that capacity. But some of the members wished
to make the last eifort with the Synod, which now had the
business m their own hands, and the whole agreed at tlie
Ridge Meeting House in August last, to propose their last
terms, and forward them to the Transylvania Presbytery,
or Synod, by two Commissioners to be appointed for that
purpose, which was accordingly done, and the terms in
substance were as follows :
" We, the preachers belonging to the Council, both old
and young, from a sincere desire to be in union with the
general body of the Presbyterian Church, are willing to be
examined on the tenets of our holy religion, by the Tran-
sylvania Presbytery, Synod, or a committee appointed for
that purpose ; taking along the idea, however, that we be
received or rejected as a connected body. Also, all our
ministers, ordained and licentiates, retain their former
authority derived from the Cumberland Presbytery. It
w^as, moreover, understood that if the Synod should
require the preachers to re-adopt the Confession of Faith
that it should be with the exception of fatality only."
Our commissioners were directed to go, and take a copy
of the above minute, w'.thout any discretionary power
whatever, to alter the propositions in any way, and it was
unanimously agreed and determined, that if the Synod
would not accede to the propositions, that on the fourth
Tuesday in October ensuing, the whole Council Avould go
into a constituted state. The Commissioners accordingly
went to the Synod ; and after their return, informed us
that the Synod would not consider our case as a body, but
as individuals ; neither would they suffer any of our
preaclur.s to make the exception to the Confession of
2:*.i: r. ii i e r historical s k e t c n .
Faith. The -Commissioners, notAvithstanding, obtained an
order for an intermediate Presbytery " to be held at
Green Town, to consider the case of Mr. Hodge and
others." Here, brethren, we will insert for your informa-
tion, the minute of the last Council, and also the preamble
to the minute of our first Presbytery.
" The Council met at Shilo, agreeably to adjournment
on the fourth Tuesday in October, 1809. Whereupon Mr.
King was appointed to the chair, and Thomas Donald
clerk. The Council opened by prayer.
" Inquirj'' was made, what progress the Commissioners
had made at the Transylvania Presbytery or Synod,
towards bringing about a reconciliation ; and how those
Judicatures had treated the propositions of the Council.
Mr. Hodge, after some preliminary remarks, in which he
suggested that he thought the Commissioners had obtained
a compliance with the substance of the Council's proposi-
tions, read a copy of a petition he had presented to the
Synod, and the Synod's order on that petition. After the
matter was discussed, and after the minute of the last
Council on that subject was read, and compared with the
petition and order above, the vote was taken whether or
not the Synod had complied with the propositions of the
Council, which was decided in the negative, by a very
large majority. The vote was then taken, whether or not
the Council would put the resolution of last Council into
execution, which went solemnly to declare, that unless the
Synod acceded to their propositions, they would on this
day constitute into a Presbytery, which was carried in the
affirmative by a large majority : after which Messrs. Wil-
liam and Samuel Hodge, ministers, and Thomas Donald,
elder, withdrew from the Council, virtually declaring their
intention to join tlie Transylvania Presbytery. Tliere
being then oiilv three ordained ministers piesent. it win
BR-IEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. 233
inquired -whether they were now ready to go into a
constituted state ; when it was found that one of them was
embarrassed in his mind. 'Jhe Council then adjourned,
and met again, waiting the decision of that member: who
at length declared he could not feel free at the present
time to constitute. The Council then, together with all
the licentiates and candidates present, formed into a
committee and entered upon a free conversation on the
subject before them ; when it was finally agreed to, that
each ordained minister, licentiate, elder, and representa-
tive should continue in union, and use their influence to
keep the Societies in union, until the third Tuesday iu
March next ; and then meet at the Ridge meeting house.
After which, each one shall be released from this bond,
unless previously to that time, three ordained ministers
belonging to this body shall have constituted a Presbytery.
Then, in that case, the committee will all consider the
BOND of union perpetual; which Presbytery, after doing
such business as they may think proper, are to adjourn to
meet at the Ridge meeting house the said third Tuesday
in March in a Presbyterial capacity.''
SAMUEL KING, Chairman.
" In Dixon County, Tennessee State, at the Rev.
M'Adow's, this 4th day of February, 1810.
" We, Samuel jM'Adow, Finis Ewing, and Samuel
King, regularly ordained ministers, in the Presbyterian
Church, against whom no charge, either of immorality or
heresy has ever been exhibited, before any of the Church
Judicatures, having waited in vain more than four years,
in the mean time, petitioning the General Assembly for a
redress of grievances, and a restoration of our violated
rights, have, and do hereby agree and determine, to con-
stitute into a Presbytery, icnown by the name of the
Cumberland Presbytery, on the following conditions:
2(; '
20 1 ^ li 11 I E F HIS T R I C A L S K E T C II .
"• All candidates for the ministry, who may hereafter hi
licensed by this Presbytery, and all the licentiates or
probationers, who may hereafter be ordained by this
Presbyter;'-, shall be required, before such hcensure and
ordination, to receive and adopt the Confession and Disci-
pline of the Presbyterian Church, except the idea of
fatality, that seems to be taught under the mysterious
doctrine of Predestination. It is to be understood,
however, that such as can clearly receive the Confession,
without any exception, shall not be required to make any.
Moreover, all licentiates before they are set apart to the
■whole work of the ministry, or ordained, shall be required
to undergo an examination on English Grammar, Geo-
graphy, Astronomy, Natural and Moral Philosophy, and
Church History.* The Presbytery may also require an
examination on all, or any part, of the above branches of
literature before licensure, if they deem it expedient."
Thus, brethren, we have, in the integrity of our hearts,
endeavored to give you as correct and impartial an
account of the rise and progress of the cause or causes,
that have brought us into our present situation, as justice
to ourselves, and our best recollection would admit. ^Ye
have not intentionally and unjustly exposed or covered the
conduct of any man or Judicature. We have only aimed
at giving a clear, honest view of the matter, that you
might be enabled to judge for yourselves whether we have
acted with propriety or impropriety.
We think, percipitancy or rashness cannot be justly
imputed to us in the present case. We have Avaited in an
unorganized state, for more than four years, and in that
time, have repeatedly prayed the Judicatures to redress
* It will not be uiiderstooii that pxaniiiint;(i;is on experimental reli;rii-.:i ana
Theolo_'v will be omitted.
BKIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. 235
our grievances ; and have not contended for one privilege
but what we conscientiously believe God's word allows us.
If we had sought or desired an occasion to make a schism
in the church, we had an excellent pretext, after the
unprecedented conduct of the Commission of Synod
towards us. But instead of this, we volmitarily suspended
our operations as a Presbytery, and waited from year to
year, beset on every side, hoping the matter might be
settled on principles just and equitable. AVe said " beset
on every side." i'es, brethren, a number of you know
that various sectaries took the advantage of our forbear-
ance and peculiar situation, and endeavored to rend our
flourishing congregations. The swarms of heretics and
fanatics also, who came down from the upper counties of
Kentucky, gave us much perplexity : yet we determined,
through grace, to stand firm, and continue to appeal to the
reason and justice of the higher Judicatures, until we
were assured they were not disposed to restore our rights.
This assurance we have at length obtained, and there was
no alternative left us, but either to violate our solemn
vows to our brethren, act contrary to our reason and
conscience, or form ourselves into a Presbytery, separate
from the Kentucky Synod. This step, at first view, may
alarm some of you ; but be assured, brethren, that
although we are not now united to the Presbyterian
Church by the external bond of discipline, that we feel as
much union in heart as formerly ; and we would further
assure you, that we have not set up as a party, inimical to
the general Presb\'terian church : no, — we, ourselves, are
Presbyterians, and expect ever to remain so, whether
united to the general body or not.
Permit us fui-ther to inform you what we do know to be
an incontestable fact. That is, there are a number of
ministers who arc ke|;t in the bo.^om of tho Presbyterian
236 BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Church, who liave deviated infinitely more from the Con-
fession than we have done. One can boldly deny the
imputation of Christ's active obedience to the sinner in
justification, and publish it to the world — another can
deny the operation of the Holy Spirit in the work of
regeneration,* and yet, we, who only object to the
unciualified idea of eternal reprobation, cannot be
indulged in that objection !
It has been said that if all the ministers belonging to
the Council, had continued together, and had constituted
into a Presbytery, it would have been much better.
Brethren, if individuals, for reasons best known to them-
selves, and their God, have thought proper to change a
position in which they thought God had blessed them, we
have not yet felt at liberty to do likewise. We have to
account to God, and our own conscience, how we have
acted in this matter.
Some have feared because of the smallness of our
number. Brethren, we have yet left, in the bounds of our
Presbytery, almost as many ministers, exclusive of candi-
dates, as our blessed Lord chose to spread the Gospel
through the world. And whilst we acknowledge the
greatest inferiority to those twelve champions of the
Gospel, yet, we profess to believe that neither the standing,
nor the reputation of a people depends on their numbers.
If this were admitted, the Roman church, when it Avas at
its zenith of superstition and idolatry, would have been
the most permanent, and respectable in the world. But
the reformation and subsequent events have taught us that
that was not the case with her. But notwithstanding some
individuals have changed their ground, yet, as far as we
* See Mr. Davis' publication in South Cflioliua, niul Mr. Ci;»i.i.'iie.-.d'8 of
Teimessce.
liKIEF IIIriTORICAL SKETCH. 2-:>7
have learned, but very few of the numerous and respecta-
ble societies or congregations have abandoned us : and
some individuals of those few, were partly constrained
to do as they have done, from their local situation.
Some of you are afraid you cannot be supplied by the
Presbytery. Brethren, the same Almighty Lord of the
harvest, who heard your prayers on that subject ten years
ago, is willing to hear again. Is the harvest indeed great
and the laborers fetv ? well then, pray the Lord to send
more laborers.
Some fear lest the Presbytery should take too much
liberty in licensing and ordaining unlearned men. If by
this you mean, you are afraid the Presbytery, in some
instances, will dispense with the dead languages, your fears
are well grounded. But if you are afraid we will license
and ordain without a good English education, we hope
your fears are without foundation. And while we thus
candidly declare our intention to receive men as candi-
dates, without a knowledge of the languages, who are men
of good talents, and who appear to be evidently called
of God, believing, as we do, that there are thousands in
the Presbyterian Church of such description, who would
make more able, respectable, and more useful ministers of
Jesus Christ, than many who say they have been brought
up at the feet of Gamaliel : we would nevertheless
recommend it to all parents who have sons who promise
fair for the ministry, to have them taught the Greek
language, especially the Greek Testament. Some of us
intend to do ourselves what we here recommend, and
thereby more fully convince you of our sincerity.
We would just add, that we have it in view as a Pres-
bytery, to continue, or make another proposition to the
Synod of Kentucky, or some other Synod, for a re-union.
If we can obtain it witliuut vinlatiu:: our natural and
238 BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Scriptural rights, it will meet the most ardent wish of our
hearts ; if we cannot, we hope to be enabled to commit
ourselves and cause to Him who is able to keep us.
Brethren, if we live at the feet of the Redeemer, and feel
constant dependence on Him, we are not afraid but that
he will be our God and director. And if God be for U8,
ivho nan he against us? We therefore entreat you,
brethren, to ivatch and he sober.
Cultivate friendship with all societies of Christians, who
maintain the fundamental doctrines of the Gospel, and
whose lives comport with their profession; but avoid the
multitude of deceivers, who have gone out into the world,
and strike at the root of all real religion. Avoid them,
we entreat you, as you wouM the open enemies of the
cross of Christ.
Crird on the tvhole armor of God. Fight the good
fight of faith, live in ^jeacg, and the God of peace shall
he with you. Amen.
SAMUEL M'ADOW, Moderator.
Test. YOUNG EWING, Clerk.
Notwithstanding the peculiar dijQSculties with which this
infant Church has had to contend, its members have
continued to increase, and every year has augured more
and more favorably for its stability.
The first Presbytery became so much enlarged in the
course of three years, that in April, 1813, at the Beach
meeting house, Tennessee, it was resolved to divide it
and form three subordinate Judicatories, which should
constitute a Synod. The following minute is the preamble
to this decision, and presents a pleasing prospect of the
gradual increase of Cumberland Presbyterians :
" Whereas, the Cumberland Presbytery have made
©verv reasonable effort fi.'i- a re-union witi! the Pre<bvterian
BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCU. 239
Church ; and Avhereas, the extent of our bounds and the
number and local situation of our members, now render it
inconvenient to do business in but one Presbytery ; and
Avhereas, the constitution of a Synod is desirable, and we
hope will be productive of good consequences in various
ways, particularly as a ti-ibunal having appellant juiisdic-
tion : Resolved," etc.
Five of the members were ordered to meet at Mt.
Carmel meeting house, Tennessee, on the first Tuesday of
the ensuing August, to constitute the Elk Presbytery,
and four others were appointed to constitute the Logan
Presbytery, on the fifth Tuesday of the same month, at
Red River meeting house, Kentucky. These Presbyteries
Avere directed to meet the Cumberland Presbytery on the
fifth of tlie next October at the Beach meeting house,
Tennessee, to constitute the Cumberland Synod, which was
done accordingly.
Soon after the close of the late war, the tide of
emigration began to flow rapidly westward, which greatly
multiplied demands for preaching ; so that it seemed for a
time, utterly impossible to meet them. The members of
the Church, however, were requested by Synod to
observe the fourth Monday of May, 1817, as a day of
fasting and prayer to Almighty God to revive his work
and send forth more laborers into his vineyard. The
Great Head of Zion evidently heard the cries of his
people ; the succeeding summer was a time of much
interest to the Church ; and in the fall many young men
of promising talents became candidates for the ministry.
This added fresh life to the body, and inspired new-
settlements of the West and South with a hope of yet
being supplied with preaching. This hope was not
disappointed. A goodly number of young laborers soon
entered the field for the purpose of gathering up the
240 BRIEF JIISTORICAL SKETCH.
scattered disciples of Christ, and to call guilty multitudcg
to repentance. The consequence was, those that had been
sighing in the -wilderness and weeping by the water
courses, because there was none to break to them the
bread of life, were made to crj out how beautiful upon the
mountains are the feet of him that bringeth yood tidings
of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion,
thy Crod reigneth. Stupid sinners were also awakened,
and many precious revivals of religion immediately com-
menced.
Here was discovered more clearly than ever, the provi-
dence of God in raising up the Cumberland Presbyterians.
A large portion of the western population were partial to
the Presbyterian form of Church government, though they
could not receive all their doctrinal sentiments. But had
the Presbyterian sentiments been generally embraced, still
they were at that time comparatively without funds to
educate ministers, or to send them into the field after they
were educated, and there were no prospects of salaries
from the frontiers ; therefore, but few of their clergymen
were to be found in the whitened harvest of the West. It
is also true, that the peculiarities of the jNIethodists and
Baptists were thought by many to be imsupported by the
word of God ; consequently they were unwilling to place
themselves and families under the ministry of cither
denomination. At this important crisis, the Lord of the
harvest was pleased to raise up the Cumberland Presbyte-
rians, and direct them to take a midway stand between
Calvinism and Arminianism ; and to open a school for the
purpose of quaUfying men for the ministry that had been
previously unknown in the Presbyterian Church, viz : an
itinerant school. In this seminary, scores of young
heralds of the cross were fitted for the sacred desk, and
strange as it may appear, many of thorn Car surpassed the
BKIEF HLSTURICAL SKETCH. 241
College missionaries of the East. While some were
"waiting for Education Societies to open the door for them
into the ministrj, and others who had already entered,
were waiting for Missionary Societies to send them into
the field, these Cumberland Pioneers moved on with the
tide of emigration, submitting to all the privations and
hardships pecuUar to new settlements, with but little
prospect of any reward in this life, except the pleasure of
saving souls. Upon the whole, I firmly beUeve, that
thousands are now in heaven, and others are on their way
thither, who never would have been saved, had it not been
for the labors of Cumberland Presbyterians, and that God
haa yet an important part for them to act in spreading the
conquest of the Redeemer's Cross.
The following brief sketch of the constitution of the
several Presbyteries, will show the rapid growth of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in the course of the
last twelve years.
At Sugg's Creek, Tennessee, October 22, 1819, the
McGee Presbytery was stricken ofif from the Logan Pres-
bytery, by an order of Synod, and ordered to be consti-
tuted in Missouri, (then a Territory,) on the fourth Tues-
day of May following.
The Synod in session at Russellville, October 18, 1821,
divided the Elk Presbytery, and directed two new Presby-
teries to be constituted — one to be known by the name of
the Alabama, and the other the Tennessee Presbytery. At
this Synod, also, the Anderson Presbytery was stricken off
from the Logan Presbytery, and the Lebanon from the
Nashville Presbytery.
By an order of Synod, at the Beach meeting house,
Tennessee, October 16, 1822, the Illinois Presbytery was
Stricken off from Ander&on and McGee Presbyteries.
On the 24th of October, 1823, by the authority of
51 .
242 BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCn.
Synod, at Russellville, the Alabama Presbytery, owing to
the remote situation of its members from each other, the
difficulty of meeting in time of high water, etc., "vvas
dissolved, and a part of its members, with two from the
Tennessee Presbytery, were appointed to constitute the
Bigby Presbytery. The balance of the members of Ala-
bama were attached to the Tennessee Presbytery. At
this same Synod, the McGee Presbytery was divided for
the purpose of constituting the Arkansas Presbytery.
At Cane Creek meeting house, October 22, 1824,
owing to additions to the ministry, change of residence,
etc., preachers were appointed by Synod to re-organize
the Alabama Presbytery. At this session, the Hopewell
Presbytery was also stricken off from the Nashville Pres-
bytery. It was, moreover, deemed indispensable either to
divide the Synod and form a General Assembly, or revise
the Constitution of the Church, so as to admit of a dele-
gated Synod. The question was therefore submitted to
the consideration of the several Presbyteries.
At the Synod at Princeton, Kentucky, October 25,
1825, the Anderson Presbytery was divided, and the
Indiana Presbytery required to be constituted.
A constitutional majority of the Presbyteries reported
to this Synod in favor of a General Assembly.
After discussing the question at some length, by mutual
consent, a decision was postponed till another meeting of
the Synod.
At this session, Commissioners were appointed to select
a site for Cumberland College. They met in January
following, and after examining several places, decided in
favor of the vicinity of Princeton. The institution went
into practical operation on the first day of the ensuing
March, on the manual labor plan. It now numbers about
sixty students, and is in a tolerably flourishing condition.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. 2'43
No new Presbyteries were formed in 1826.
The Bamett and Knoxville Presbyteries were appointed
to be constituted, by order of Synod in session at Russell-
ville, Kentucky, November 21, 1827. The former was
taken from the McGee and the latter from the Lebanon
Presbyteries.
October 21, 1828, the Synod at Franklin, Tennessee,
ordered the St. Louis Presbytery to be constituted, and to
be taken from the Arkansas Presbytery. Also Princeton
Presbytery was stricken from Anderson and the Sanga-
mon from Illinois Presbyteries.
The subject of Temperance was discussed at this
session of Synod, and the following resolution unanimously
adopted : —
" Resolved, That the preachers belonging to the Cum-
berland Presbyterian Church, both ordained and licensed,
and hkewise the different members, be requested to unite
in discountenancing the unnecessary use of ardent spirits
in their several congregations and families, and whereever
else their influence may extend."
Pursuant to this resolution, Temperance Associations
have been formed throughout the bounds of the Church,
and hundreds and thousands have been induced to abandon
entirely the use of the intoxicating fluid.
The subject of a General Assembly was again brought
before the Synod, while in session at Franklin, and after
considerable discussion, it was resolved to come to a
decision on this important matter. Before the vote was
taken, an aged member arose and recited the solemn
manner in which the first Presbytery was constituted.
The fear of God seemed to fall on every mind, and
breathless silence pervaded the house for several minutes.
It was then proposed that the oldest preacher present,
should implore direction from heaven. The Rev, Jas. B.
244 BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Porter, being the oldest member present, was called on to
discharge this duty. Before prayer, he recurred in a
brief, but feeling manner, to the difficulties through which
Cumberland Presbyterians had already passed, and to the
kind providence of God, that had been displayed in their
protection. During prayer, much access seemed to be
enjoyed to a throne of grace ; and every member of the
house appeared to reaUze his responsibility to the Great
Head of the Church, for the part he was about to act.
The votes were then called for — when it appeared a large
majority were in favor of a General Assembly.
The Cumberland Synod was then, by mutual consent,
divided, and the four following Synods ordered to be
constituted, viz : The Missouri Synod, embracing the
McGee, Barnett, Illinois, St. Louis, Sangamon and
Arkansas Presbyteries : the Green Biver Synod, com-
posed of the Logan, Anderson, Indiana and Princeton
Presbyteries : the Franklin Synod, embracing the Nash-
ville, Lebanon, Knoxville and Hopewell Presbyteries : the
Columbia Synod, consisting of the Elk, Tennessee, Bigby,
and Alabama Presbyteries.
The bounds of these Synods have been much enlarged
since they were constituted, and the following new Pres-
byteries formed, viz : Within the limits of the Green Biver
Synod, the Kentucky, Washington and Wabash Presbyte-
ries : in Franklin Synod, the Forked-Deer and Hatchey
Presbyteries : and in the Columbia Synod, the Elyton and
Mississippi Presbyteries.
It will be seen from this brief sketch, that Cumberland
Presbyterians have, at present, twenty-five Presbyteries,
four Synods, and a General Assembly.
Their number of preachers is thought to bo near four
hundred, besides many candidates for the ministry. But
inasmuch as a statistical account of their congregations
BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. 245
and ministers has never yet been made out, their numeri
cal strength cannot at this time be certainly known.
Some have expressed surprise that this should have been
neglected until so late a period. It is my view, however,
very far from being a censurable omission. Too frequent
a display of numbers has always seemed to me to savor of
ostentation ; and I have thought such conduct was apt to
beget an undue and unsanctified eagerness for the procure-
ment of numbers. Nevertheless, as there appears to be
so much anxiety among other denominations, to know the
number of members in the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church, and some very inaccurate conjectures have
recently been published on this subject, it is probable their
statistics will be shortly submitted to the pubhc.
The operations of Cumberland Presbyterians have
heretofore been principally confined to the foUo^ving
portion of the valley of the Mississippi, viz : The States
of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Illinois, Indiana, and the Arkansas Territory. This year,
however, they have had a most glorious revival in the
western part of the State of Pennsylvania, the influence
of which is felt to some extent in the State of New York.
Several flourishing societies have recently been formed
in that section of country — and the work is still pro-
gressing.
They have kept up the practice of holding camp-
meethigs in their congregations, ever since their organiza-
tion as a body. Indeed, this custom was first mtroduced
by that part of the Presbyterian Church, that afterwards
became Cumberland Presbyterians. About three hundred
of these meetings are now held every year, at which many
profess to obtain religion : on some occasions two hundred
and upwards.
At first, this denomination, like aJl other branches of
246 BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH.
the Church, wldle in infancy^ met with considerable
opposition from other sectaries. They have, however,
been blessed with much union in feeling and effort, as well
as in doctrine, among themselves, and have ever kept
their pulpits and communion open to all orthodox
Christians.
They have cordially united with other denominations in
advancing the benevolent enterprises of the present day.
The salutary influence of Sabbath Schools is felt, to a
considerable extent throughout then* bounds, and they
have had for several years a Missionary School in the
Chickasaw nation. It has recently, however, been deemed
expedient to close the operations of this institution, owing
to the unsettled state of the Indians.
On the subject of the doctrines of Cumberland Presby-
terians, I need say but little, inasmuch as their Confession
of Faith has long since been before the public. I will
subjoin, however, the following extract from Buck's Theo-
logical Dictionary, which will give a brief outline of their
views.
1st. " They hold that Adam was made upright, pure and /rce; that he
was necessai'ily under the moral law, which binds all intelligences ; and
having transgressed it, he was consequently, with all his posterity ex-
posed to eternal punishment and misery.
2d. That Christ, the second Adam, represented just as many as the
first, consequently made an atonement for all, " which will be testified in
due time." But that the benefit of that atonement \\i\\ be only received
by the tnie believer.
3d. That all Adam's family are totally depraved, " conceived in sin ;
going astray from the womb, and all children of wrath ;" therefore must
" be born again ;" justified and sanctified, or they never can enter into
the kingdom of God.
4th. That justification is by faith alone as the Instrument ; by the
merits of Christ's active and passive obedience, as the meritorious cause ;
and by the operation of God's Spirit, as the efficient, or active cause.
5th. That as the sinner is justified on the account of Christ's righte-
ousness being imputed or accounted to him ; on the same account he
will be enabled to go on from one dejjrce of grace to another, in a pro-
BRIEF IIISTOKICAL SKETCn. 2-i7
gressive life of sanctification, until he is fitted to be gathered into tho
gamer of God ; who will certainly take to glory every one who has
been really justified; that is, he, Christ, has become wisdom, (light to
convince) righteousness, (to justify) sanctification, (to cleanse) and
redemption, (to glorify) to every truly regenerated soul.
6th. That there are three persons in one God, co-equal, essential, and
eternal ; or the Father, Word, and Holy Ghost : that the mediator is
very God and very man ; two distinct natures in one person ; therefore
while the humanity obeys and suffers, there is infinite worth or merit
given to that obedience and suffering, by the union of the divinity.
They dissent from the Confession — in, 1st, That there are no eternal
reprobates. 2d, That Christ died not for a part only, but for all mankind.
3d, That all infants, dying in infancy, are saved through Christ, and
sanctification of the Spirit. 4th, That the Spirit of God operates on the
world, or as co-extensively as Christ has made the atonement, in such a
manner as to leave all men inexcusable.
As to the doctrines of predestination and election, they think, (with
many eminent and modest divines who have written on the subject,)
they are mysterious, and they are not well pleased with the application
that rigid Calvinists, or Arminians, make of them. They think the
truth, on that, as well as many other points in divinity, lies between the
opposite extremes. They are confident, however, that those doctrines
should not, on the one hand be so construed as to make any thing the
creature has done, or can do, at all meritorious in his salvation ; or to lay
any ground to say "well done I;" or to take the least degree of the
honor of our justification and perseverance from God's unmerited grace,
and Christ's pure righteousness. On the other hand, they are equally
confident those doctrines should not be so construed as to make God the
author of sin, directly or indirectly ; either of Adam's sin, or any subse-
quent sin of his fallen race ; or to contradict the express and repeated
declarations of God's word, on tlie extent of the atonement and opera-
tions of the Spirit; or to contradict the sincerity of God's expostulations
with sinners, and make his oath to have no meaning, when he swears
he has no pleasure in their death ; or to resolve the whole character of
the Deity into his sovereignty, without a due regard to all other of his
adorable attributes. Finally, they think those doctrines ought to bo
thought and spoken of in a consistency with God's moral government,
which always has for its object the hajjpiness of his intelligent creatures,
when it consists ^^•ith his justice, and tlie honor of the divine throne."
They baptize infants, -where one or both the parents are
believers in Christ, and permit believing adults, who have
not been baptized in infancy, to select their own mode of
248 BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH.
baptism. They are induced to grant this privilege from «
belief that the Bible neither specifies the quantity of
water to be used in baptism, nor the mode of receiving it.
Therefore, they think the subjects of this ordinance have
as good a right to a choice for themselves, as communicants
have at the Lord's Table, some of whom take more bread
and wine, and others a less quantity. Cumberland Pres-
byterians view these two ordinances equal in point of
importance, and do not feel at liberty to impose restrictions
in administering them, where the word of God imposes
none.
SCHOOL GRAMMARS.
I The Series consists of Two Parts,
I. JBCTLER'S INTRODUCTORY LESSONS IN
ENGLISH GRAMMAR.— Eor Beginners
n. BUTLER'S PRACTICAL GRAMMAR.
Instead of offering- to the public their own commendations of these books, the ,
publishers have the pleasure of inviting attention to the following communications :
1. From Rev. .1. M'Clintock, D.D., who is well known throughout the United '
States as one of the most accomplished scholars and skilful educators. As a '
professor in the highest institutions of learning, as the author of a most successful
series of classical text books, and as editor of the Quarterly Review, published ,
by the Nortiiern Methodist Episcopal Church, in the city of New York, his
reputation is as wide as the country.
'' Bltler'b ' Pr.\ctic.\l QBAMM.iR OP THE EsGiisa La!»ou.\qe/ is an exceedingly well-
oonceiTed and well-executed book. It is scientific, not only in its groundwork (which
every element.-iry book ought to be), but also in itif practical methods and devices, where
empiricism i.-< too often substituted for science. As every leiison can be put to use at once, '
the leiimer miikes real progress with every page. I Lave seen no Elementary English '
Grammar that plea.ses me better-— or so well.
JOHN M'CLINTOCK.
New York, March 28, 1849.
2. From Gkorgk B. Emerson, of Boston, whose commendation of any text |
book is conclusive evidence of its great merits. He stands foremost among the
men to whom New England looks up, as the highest authority in all matters ,
connected with education.
<, Dear Sir — I have hardly had an hour since I received your note accompanying this i
Grammar, which was not absolutely bespoken for gome other purpo.^ie. On looking over '
le book rapidly, I see r'any things in it which are e-toelleut. The definitions are remark- '
ably simple iind cicar ; the 'ules are short and comprehensive ; and the arrangement is so <
good., and the exercises so h..-1i "elected, that a tolerable teacher might be very successful
in teaching the principles of English Grammar by the aid of it. It forms, moreover, in
the way it is intended to be used, what every Grammar for beginners ought to form — an
introduction to the art and practice of composition.
The names of the tenses are far more sensible ami philosophical than those found in
most Gramm.^rs, which indeed are often quire wrong and absurd ; and the principles of J
Syntax and of Prosody are singularly well condensed, without becoming too abstract and
obscure. In a future edition. '. hope he will give the same condensation to the rule* fcr ,
Punctuation. I am, dear sir, very truiy yours,
Oct. 27, 184.5. GEO. B. EMEKSON
To J. a. Palfrey, LL.D., O.D., Secretary of State.
3. The following are extracts from the opinions of distinguish-^d scholars: —
From E. I). North, Prof, of Rhetoric
in Ynle CoUe<:e.
" It is the most scholarly and philosophie
Grammar that I know."
A. D. Lord, of Ohio.
" I consider it one of the best works we
. havid on the subject."
Rev. B. P. Aydelote, of Cincinnati.
" An improvement, In every respect, upon
I preceding works."
( Rich. H. Lee, Prof Woshin^fon Coll.
I "I heartily recommcad it as the beet now
to be got.''
John Leicis, of LJanscollen.
" It is really what its title indicates — A
Practical Grammar."
Jno. B. L. Sunk, Terre Haute..
" Far in advance of any now in use."
E. A. Smith, S'ip't of Cor.imon Sckook,
Statetotrn, N Y.
" I prefer it befbre Brown's and Bul-
lions'."
Mo.ttit Soule, North Bridsrton.
"My beau Ideal of an English Gram-'
BRONSON'S
OR,
f Mental and Vocal Philosophy, for the Development
of the Mind and Body.
COMPRISING
1. Tivo or Three Hundred of the Choicest Anecdotes in our Language.
2. Three Thousand Oratorical and Poetical Readings and Recitations.
3. Five Thousand Proverbs. Maxims, Sayings. Themes, and Laconics.
4. And Several Hundred Elegant Engravings, to lUustraie the iVork.
)
IT CONTAINS:
I. All the Principles of Elocution, in will Feel and Think he mngt have, and
accoraance with Physiological and Men- I cannot do without it,
tal Science: II. SIX FULL LENGTH
VIEWS of the Nerves of Organic Life,
of Respiration, of the Nerves of Sense
and Motion, and of all the Muscles and
Bones of the whole Body, clothed and
unclothed: III. Natural and Deformed
Chests, Positions of Ladies and Gentle-
men, of their Bodies, Hands, Arms, and
Feet, and ONE HUNDRED Full
Length Oratorical and Poetical Por-
traits: IV. FORTY-FOUR MOUTHS,
showing every position to produce the
FORTY-FOUR sounds of our Lan-
guage : V. The Common, and New
Mode of Learning the Letters, of Spell-
ing, and of Teaching Children to Read,
involving the Science of Phonology :
VI. Several Hundred Jaw or Muscle-
Breakers, for Training the Voice, while
"Laughter holds both of his sides."
VII, Flb'TY ENGRAVINGS, exhib-
iting all the Phases of Passion, with
appropriate examples to illustrate them:
VI II An immense number of Ques-
tions and Subjects suggested for Ly-
ceums, Debating Societies, and Social
Parties: IX. The largest and best col-
lection of READINGS, RECITA-
TIONS, and DKCLAMATIONS, in-
cluding' those interspersed with his
Popular Lectures, involving every va-
riety of Thought and Feeling, and
ranging from the deepest Tragedy to
the highest Comedy ; with something
on every page, calculated to make one
serious and gay : X. By being printed
in double columns, and certain kinds of
type, it is designed, on pliiloso|)hical
principles, t" facilitate the arts of Read
ITS COMPARATIVE MERITS.
I. An examination of its Contents
and their Arrangement, will enable one '
to institute a comparison between this ^
work, and all others on the same subject.
II. It is in perfect harmony wirh ^
what is known of all that is NATURAL, (
HUMAN, and DIVINE.
III. Its foundations are deeply laid'
in the Philosophy of Mind and Vc
Spirit and Matter; and the principles'
are of a far-reaching and comprehensive '
nature, tending to produce a great rev- '
olution in the Art of R-eading and ,
Speaking with Science and Eft'ect, and
the development of the WHOLE
MAN, Soul, Mind, and Body.
IV. Its method is that of ANALYSIS .
and SYNTHESIS, and is altogether!
Progressive and Practical in its charac-
teristics.
V. Although but ONE Elocutionary
Principle is presented, specifically, on '
any page, yet each Elementary page |
contains, incidentally, ALL the Princi-
ples of Elocution.
VI. These Principles have never j
been known to fail, when faithfully ap-
plied, to enable one to Read. Speak, i
and Blow on Wind Instruments, for (
hours in succession, without Hoarse-
ness, or injurious Exhaustion ; and they
tend to the Preservation from, and Cure '
of Diseases of the Throat and Lungs,
Dyspepsia, and other Complaints inci-
dental to Public Speaking, and a Sed-
entary Life.
Vri. It is BEAUTIFULLY and ^
ing, Memorizing, and the Preservation I SUBSTANTIALLY got up in the oc- )
of ihe Eyesight — three important points I tavo form, of between three and four)
of attainment : XI. It is expressly pre-
pared for use in all SCHOOLS, ACAD-
EMIES, and COLLEGES. Male and
Female; and also with particular ref-
ereace to Private Readers and Learn-
ers ! XII. In a word, it is just such a
bmk, as every oon, having heard of it, J It !9WLY ONB UOhLAB
hundred pages, and includes a greater f
variety of Prose and Pootrj^ than any (
other system of Elocution, and contauis '.
DOUBLE tho amount of reading mat- (
ter found In any similar work in the I
United Statep, and yet— THF: PRICJS J
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
Los Angeles
This book is DUE on the last date stamped below.
FormLQ — 15to-10,'48 (B1039)444
WIV-PSITY of CALlFORfiu^
AT
LOS ANGELES
LIBRARY
BX
8975
D71t
UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY
AA 000 995 217