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SECTION XLXIX.

The great Advantage of Chriftian Philofophy being taught by a commanding Authority.

HEN mere men teach, they submit their W leffons to the judgment of their hearers, who ufually affume the office of critics, while they appear in the character of difciples. They will learn only what pleases their taste, or is approved by their judgment. But Jefus Chrift, being filled with the Spirit of God, taught with commanding authority."I and the Father are one," fays he. "I fpeak not of myself, but of him that fent me. "WHOSO KEEPETH MY SAYINGS, SHALL NOT "TASTE OF DEATH."

What heathen philofopher ever dared to come forward, as a teacher of mankind, with fuch weighty words as thefe? But it will be found, that however a few among mankind may be difpofed to liften to calm reafonings, the great mafs is most effectually taught what is fair and what is bafe, what is ufeful and what pernicious*, by the voice of well-founded authority.

The fcriptures, especially thofe of the New Teftament, have long obtained this authority. We read them, not as we read any other book, of the wifeft of mortals; not as judges, empowered to condemn or approve; but as pupils or dependents listen to the commands of an acknowledged mafter, whom they, at the fame time, love and fear;

"Quid fit pulchrum, quid turpe, quid utile, quid non.

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HOR.

and

and whofe commands, they are fenfible, are for their good, however difagreeable the duty required. We confult the Gofpel as an oracle. But we do not fo confult the dialogues of Plato, or the Manual of Epictetus.

"There are," fays the author of the Light of Nature purfued, "many excellent fentiments of "God and morality interfperfed in the writings "of the antients: but thofe writings are ftudied "by few, and read chiefly for curiofity and amuse"ment, regarded as ingenious compofitions, fhew❝ing a fagacity and justness of thought in the "authors. They make fome impreffion in the "reading, which quickly dies away again, upon "laying the book afide; as. Tully tells us was his "cafe, with respect to Plato upon the immorta"lity of the foul. Whereas the Testament is the "first book we are taught to read, to receive as "the oracle of God, containing the way to falva"tion, which, at our almoft PERIL, we must not "difregard, and the truth whereof it is a fin to

doubt: therefore, whatever is drawn thence,

comes accompanied with a reverence, and idea "of high importance, which give a force to the "impreffion. Let a man take for his thefis the "ftoical maxim, Things out of our power are nothing "to us, and defcant upon the imprudence of foli"citude and anxiety for future events, which we

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can no ways prevent or provide againft, it will "not work the effects which the very fame dif"courfe might do, pronounced from the PULPIT, upon the text, Sufficient unto the day is the evil "thereof."

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Where is the uninfpired philofopher, who can addrefs mankind with the authority of St. Paul? "My fpeech and my preaching," fays he to the Corinthians," is not with enticing words of

"man's

"man's wifdom, but with demonftration of the "SPIRIT AND POWER, that your faith might not be "in the WISDOM OF MEN, but in the power of God "(accompanying and enforcing my words). We "fpeak the wifdom of God in a mystery, even "the bidden wisdom, which none of the princes of "this world knew, but which God hath revealed "unto us by his Spirit, the ra Baln rou ou, the "depths of God. We have received, not the spi"rit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; "that we might KNOW the things that are freely "given to us of God; which things alfo we

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fpeak, not in the words which man's wifdom "teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth, "explaining the things of the Spirit, (the in"ftructions of the Spirit,) in the language of the "Spirit +." Again, to the Ephefians he says, "The mystery of Chrift, which in other ages was "not made known to the fons of men, is now re"vealed unto his holy apoftles and prophets, by "the Spirit ." "For this cause," (he adds in another place,) "thank we God without ceafing, "because, when ye received the WORD OF GOD, " which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the "word of men, but, as it is in truth, the WORD "OF GOD §." He gives alfo a menacing admonition to thofe who fhould defpife his directions, as defpifing not man, but God. "HE THAT "DESPISETH, DESPISETH NOT MAN, BUT GOD, "WHO HATH GIVEN UNTO US HIS HOLY SPI"RIT."

*See Wolf. Cur. Critic, in Loc. and Chapman's Eufebius. +1 Cor. ii. 4, 5. 7, 8. 10. 12, 13.

Ephef. iii. 5.

1 Theff. iv. 8.

§ 1 Theff. ii. 13.

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Such is the commanding authority with which Christianity addreffes itself to men, including, in its peculiar doctrines and fublime myfteries, the fineft ETHICS, though not fyftematically delivered, which the world ever faw. Let it be confidered what an advantage it is to have even the best heathen morality inculcated with the fanction of comMANDMENTS from the all-wife and all-powerful Creator. Such is now the cafe where Christianity prevails. And would it be wife, even in a political sense, though policy is a very inferior confideration, to fuffer a mode of teaching men to be juft and good, thus efficacious, thus firmly and extenfively established, to fall into neglect? When will the politicians of the world again obtain fo powerful an engine? What have they to fubftitute, if they break or take away the main spring of this most efficacious, long-tried machine? I beg leave to apologize for ufing fo degrading a term. I am fpeaking, in their own language, to the worldly-wife, who defpife the gospel.

Some univerfal, authoritative code of moral law is wanted to inftruct the MILLION, high and low, rich and poor, with great and certain effect. What teacher, from the fchools of philofophy, ancient or modern, if he deprive us of Chriftianity, can fupply the defect? Will he not ftrive to supply it, but fuffer mankind to lapfe into ignorance, barbarifm, and brutality? He may give us a laboured fyftem. But nothing which the most ingenious and learned can invent, however excellent its rules and precepts, can gain the advantage which Chriftianity already poffeffes by its AUTHORITY alone. Time, and the concurrence of whole nations, have combined with its own excellence to render it impreffive beyond any human system. It is adapted

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to the poor and unlearned *, of which the majority of mankind, in all ages and countries, confift. It speaks to them as a voice from Heaven, and it will be heard.

But its AUTHORITY must be infinitely increased, when men shall be convinced that the written gofpel is accompanied at the present hour, and will be to the end of time, with the MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT, the actual operation of the Holy Ghost, vivifying and illuminating the divine principle within us. Christian philofophy is a fun; while all other, to ufe the poet's language, is, comparatively, but "darkness visible.”

Chrift taught as one having AUTHORITY. Chrift Spake as never MAN Spake; and they who hear him with faith, will, through the operation of the HOLY GHOST, poffefs a wisdom and a happiness which MAN never knew how to bestow, and can never take away.

* But under the management of fome perfons, as Erafmus obferves, EST INGENIOSA RES ESSE CHRISTIANUM; it requires a great deal of INGENUITY to be a Chriftian; as the TREE OF KNOWLEDGE was once preferred to the TREE OF LIFE, fo learning is preferred to piety; and as Grotius expreffes it—ex RELIGIONE ARS FACTA EST.-RELIGION IS MADE AN ART by many, as it has by fome, a trade.

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