not be supposed more delicious, than that harmony which is to be seen in the confessions of the Reformed Churches." This harmony, we conceive, would not have been disturbed to the present day, if every truth of God's word had been held sacred and important. But a license granted, with much charity, by mutual consent, to receive or reject-to maintain or corrupt— the truths of revelation, as shall appear right to those who assume the Christian name; and, at the same time, a common agreement to decry, as bigots and troublers in Israel, all who adhere closely to the word of God, and the confessions and principles of the Reformation, without perverting or departing from the standards they have subscribed and sworn to support. Such a license, and such an agreement, have overwhelmed the churches with error -distracted them with confusion, and dismembered them by schism. Modern errorists, it is true, like their predecessors, plead for indulgence. Arminius too pleaded for indulgence; and when the errors he had disseminated were discussed in the venerable Synod of Dort, the plea of the followers of Arminius was still, to be permitted to enjoy and propagate their own sentiments. But the members of that Synod well understood their duty, as witnesses for the truth. They well understood, that faithfulness to their Master, and their Master's cause, called for their testimony in favour of the truth as it is in Jesus. They followed the enemy through all his subtle windings-brought him to view-and put the mark of reprobation upon him. Charity is but disgraced when brought forward as an advocate for error. Charity is not a fool, incompetent to determine between truth and falsehood; neither is charity a Gallio, caring for none of these things. The charity so bighly commended by the Apostle, is a charity that rejoices in the truth,* and never lends her name to recommend and sanctify indifference to the truth. It is of the nature of error to proceed from bad to worse. The most monstrous heresies have grown from small beginnings; and if our whole attention is to be directed to full-grown errors, while puny striplings are to be suffered to grow up unnoticed, the church will never want for giants in heresy. While you fight the monster, the little reptiles are springing up around your feet, and soon they will become monsters too. You might as well expect. to dry up some mighty river, while all its tributary streams are permitted to pour their contents into its channel, as to expect to extirpate heresy from the church of God, in this way. I repeat it: A disposition to receive the whole law from Christ's mouth-to embrace every doctrine which he makes known-and to practice every duty which he inculcates-must ever be considered as furnishing the best evidence of sincere discipleship in the school of Christ. "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed." Such a sincere and stedfast adherence to the truth cannot fail to be productive of the most important advantages. "The truth," says the great Prophet of the Church, "shall make you free." The weak and wicked assertion, that it is of no consequence what a man believes, while his practice is moral, is inconsistent with the dictates of common sense, as well as the plainest statements of Scripture. What! does not God-the heart-searching Godregard sentiments, as well as practice? What! do not opinions influence actions? What! does it matter nothing whether a man believes the truth, or its opposite?—whether he puts a right or wrong construction upon the revelation of God's will? If so *1 Cor. xiii. 6. why did God give us a revelation at all?--or why int revelation command us to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints? The fact is, truth, and the belief of the truth, are all-important in the accomplishment of God's eternal designs of mercy to the chidren of men ! Error of every description must be destructive in its tendency. And who are they that "are tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftinesswhereby they lie in wait to deceive?" They are children, who have not yet come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man-unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."* Who are they that "wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction? An Apostle shall again answer: They are such as are "unlearned and unstable."† A knowledge of the truth is necessary to save us from the influence of error, and the snares of the father of lies. "The more (says a writer,) we understand of divine. truth, the more our minds will be enlarged, and the more decided will be our opposition to error. To call that liberality which holds all doctrines with a loose hand, and considers it of no importance to salvation whether we believe this or that, is a gross perversion of language." But truth, as we have already intimated, is the great instrument of sanctification. The prayer of our Saviour is "Sanctify them through thy truth."I His promise is "The truth shall make you free." This is God's own instrument to purify the hearts of his people-to prepare them for his service and enjoyment on earth; and his more perfect service and enjoyment in heaven. "The whole matter of sanctification and holiness is peculiarly joined with and † 2 Pet. iii. 16. *Eph. iv. 13, 14. ‡ Jo. xvii. 17. limited unto the doctrine, truth, and graee of the gospel; for holiness is nothing but the implanting, writing, and realizing of the gospel in our souls. Hence it is termed, Eph. iv. 24, The holiness of truth, which the truth of the gospel ingenerates, and which consists in a conformity thereunto; and the gospel itself is, Titus i. 1, The truth which is according to godliness, which declares that godliness and holiness which God requireth. This alone is that truth which makes us free, Jo. viii. 32; that is, from sin and the law, unto righteousness and holiness."* Indeed, it involves a manifest absurdity to suppose that God will sanctify falsehood; and therefore it follows most clearly, that incorrect views of the system of revealed religion must operate to the prejudice even of true believers, and greatly retard the work of their sanctification: Their wood, hay, and stubble must be burnt up; and in this they shall suffer loss-although they themselves will be saved, yet so as by fire.t "And Striking is the description given by the Apostle of the tendency of both falsehood and truth. for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who, believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." Such is the vast importance of truth in saving us from error, from sin, and from everlasting destruction! How anxious ought we then to be, to know, and believe, and practise the truth-especially when * Owen on the Spirit, vol. ii. pp. 51, 52. 1 Cor. iii, 11-15. 2 Thess. i. 11–14. we have the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, that a desire to know and obey the truth shall not be disappointed. "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord."* "If any man will do his will," says Christ," he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." The Lord Jesus Christ is the Prophet, as well as the Priest, and King of the Church; and these promises, proceeding from his mouth, are sufficiently explicit and encouraging to call forth the most vigorous exertions-to understand and practice the whole revealed will of God. Success in any investigation is gratifying: but success in our endeavours to know the mind and will of God-to know the plan and way of salvation-to know the true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent-Oh! this is of the highest importance! And success in this is insured to us by the promise of Jesus Christ, through the agency of the Holy Ghost. "He will guide you into all truth."I If Let it however not be forgotten, that the promised agency of the Holy Ghost does not supersede the necessity of exertion, on our part. The promise, in another part of the inspired volume, runs thus: thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures-then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." If it be enquired, what are the means to be employed by us in the cultivation of religious knowledge? we are prepared to give a few directions; and then we shall dismiss the subject. 1. We recommend the diligent and prayerful perusal of the word of God. The Bible is our lawbook; and a man might as well call himself a physician, without having attended to the study of medicine, or a lawyer without having examined the Jo. xvi. 13. * Hos. vi. 3. + Jo. vii. 17. |