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do either, as convenience, or inclination, may dictate.

The former does not make man humble, nor make him feel his need of divine influences, or of the atonement; the latter does not make him feel his dependence, nor lead him to resignation, nor encourage him to work out his salvation with fear and trembling.

It would be an interesting and profitable task, to trace out, somewhat at large, the manner in which Paul interweaves the doctrines and precepts with each other. I will present a few instances. It is worthy of notice that throughout his epistles the great and almost uniform doctrinal motive by which he enforces his precepts and exhortations, is, the death of Christ to save men from sin. This he calls "the wisdom of God and the power of God." One instance of his skill in using this doctrine is in his epistle to the Romans. After having, in the first eleven chapters, exhi

We not unfrequently hear some important doctrine of the Bible, and see it when it is finished, standing alone and bare. The doctrine is neither held up as the reason for any precept, nor as the sanction to it. It neither excites feeling, nor secures obedience. It is perfectly uninviting in its aspect, and barren of results. Again we hear a sermon on some important Christian duty. The precepts enjoining that duty are arrayed before the mind with proper explanation and method; but we find them uninteresting and powerless, because the doctrines which make those precepts reasonable and enforce them, are left out of view. Perhaps, the doctrine of the former sermon was the very one which, by being introduced in connexion with the precept of the latter, would have made it appear most reasonable, cloth-bited the guilty and wretched coned it with the highest interest, and secured a delightful obedience. Or perhaps that doctrine was the very one which constituted the most appalling sanction to that precept, so that if the doctrines and precepts of these two sermons could have been brought together, and made to take hold of each other by some obvious and connecting link, they would have been full of reason and energy; but as they were, they stood apart and unrelated, so that the well built logic which explained and defended the one, and the didactic and passionate oratory which enforced the other, were worse than in vain, -because they left that appearing distant and unimportant, which ought to affect man most, and that appearing in no way obligatory, which ought to be his chosen and constant guide.

The doctrines of human sinfulness and of the divine purposes are often so exhibited that the spirit of the one seems misanthropy, and that of the other, fatalism. VOL. I.-No. I.

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dition of man, as a sinner, and the great love of God manifested in giving up his Son to suffering and death to make a propitiation for sin, he begins the twelfth chapter with an appeal which is absolutely irresistible;-"I beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." So in his first epistle to the Corinthians, vi. 20. "Ye are not your own,for ye are bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

Another instance where Paul interweaves the doctrines of the gospel with the precepts he is inculcating, is found at the close of the fourth and beginning of the fifth chapter to the Ephesians, where in one of his unrivalled strains of tender Christian pathos, he enjoins a forgiving temper. "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil

speaking, be put away from among from my mouth, and warn them you, with all malice; and be ye kind from me."* one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor."

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I shall endeavour, then, to obtain directly from the scriptures, the proper answer to be given to the inquiry proposed. There is no one form of words, in which the directions are uniformly given. The answer to the jailor is very simple; "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Here, the only duty mentioned is faith in Christ. But in other passages, various Christian graces are enjoined, in giving directions to sinners.When on the day of pentecost multitudes were pricked in their heart, and said to the apostles, Men and brethren what shall we do? Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins." Here faith is not mentioned; though it may be considered as implied.† When Peter perceived, that Simon the sorcerer was in the gall of bitterness, he said to him, Repent of this thy wickedness, and pray God; if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. Here repentance and prayer only are mentioned. When Peter had healed the lame man at the gate of the temple, and charged the Jews who had assembled on the occasion, with having denied the Holy One, and killed the Prince of life; he said to them, Repent and be conGIVEN TO THE INQUIRY, “WHAT verted, that your sins may be blotted

He exhibits a similar skill in connecting the doctrines with the precepts, when, after urging the Corinthian Christians, in his eighth and ninth chapters to them, to contribute liberally to the relief of the distressed churches of Judea, and commending them for what they had done, and telling them what was expected of them, he closes his appeal to their pious generosity with a stroke of Christian policy which shows well that he had felt the power of the gospel doctrines on his own heart, and witnessed their power on others, and says, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." (2. Cor. ix. 15.) Again, (2. Cor. viii. 9,) in the same connexion and for the same purpose, says,-" "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

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ON THE PROPER ANSWER TO BE

MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?"

In answering an inquiry of such momentous import, we can have on other safe guide than the word of God. The suggestions of theoretical speculation may be fatal to the inquirer, and bring guilt upon him who, in reliance on his own wisdom, undertakes to point the way to heaven. "Son of man," says God to Ezekiel, "I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel ; therefore thou shalt hear the word

out. §

In several instances, particular practical duties are enjoined.When John said to the multitude which came to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? he added, Bring forth therefore, fruits worthy of repentance. And the people asked him, What shall we do then? He an

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swered, He that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none. Then the publicans said to him, What shall we do? He said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. The soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? He said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely.* Sometimes obedience is required în more general terms. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him.† Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double mindHumble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Put away the evil of your doings; Cease to do evil; learn to do well; Relieve the oppressed; judge the fatherless; plead for the widow. Ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest to your souls.

ed.

When the rich young man came to Christ, saying, What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? He said unto him, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.§ If it be supposed, that this answer was given merely to open his eyes to the sinfulness of his past life, we are to observe, that Jesus said also to him, Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.

When a certain lawyer said to Christ, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto

him, What is written in the law? When he answered, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself. Jesus said to him, This do, and thou shalt live.

If I were called upon, to express in a summary manner, the spirit

*Matt. iii. 8. Luke iii. 8-14. + Isa. lv. 7. James iv. 8. § Matt. xix. 16.

and substance of these several directions, I should say to the sinner, "In the exercise of FAITH and REPENTANCE, enter IMMEDIATELY upDo on a life of HOLY OBEDIENCE. this, and you will be saved." Immediate belief, immediate repentance, and immediate obedience are commanded. By holy obedience, I would be understood to mean, not only the affections of the heart, but the practical duties of life; not only internal feelings, but external

actions.

the sinner first see to it, that his But, it may be asked, should not heart is right, that his affections and purposes are holy, before he enters upon the performance of practical duties? I answer, he is required immediately to have a new heart, immediately to exercise holy affec

tions. But he is not told, in the scriptures, to wait till he knows or believes that his heart is changed, before he ventures upon any exter

nal duty. John does not say to those whom he calls a generation of vipers, First repent, then asthen reform; but he tells them at certain that you have repented, and once, to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. Our Lord does not say to the young man, First learn that have you a new heart, and then obey; but, if thou wilt enter into sell all that thou hast. life, keep the commandments,— He does, Cleanse first that which is within indeed, say to the Pharisees, the cup and the platter.* what is the defilement which he represents as within? "Extortion and excess;" not mere abstract feelings, as distinguished from pracAnd tical purposes and actions. tions, is the inward cleansing to be in what way, according to his direcmade?" Give alms of such things as ye have, and all things are clean unto you." The prophets say directly, Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; Cease to do evil; learn to *Matt. xxiii. 26. Luke xi. 39. + Luke xi. 41.

But

do well; Relieve the oppressed, &c. How is a man to know, that his heart, his affections are right, if they excite to no holy purposes? And how can he know that his purposes are holy, if they all relate to the future, and have no reference to the present performance of duty? He that doeth righteousness is righteous; not he who merely intends to do his duty, at some future period.

Is the sinner to be called upon to do any thing preparatory to faith and repentance? To begin to repent, no preparation is necessary, except that he know that he is a sinner. And to begin to believe, no preparation is necessary, except that he have the proper object of faith in view. This may fairly be supposed to be the case, in some degree at least, with every one in a Christian land, whose attention is excited to the concerns of the soul. But it is proper to call upon him to do that which is preparatory to deeper repentance, and higher degrees of faith: that is, to obtain more adequate views of his own guilt, and more exalted apprehensions of the grace of the Saviour. It is the duty of the Christian to be in the exercise of increasing repentance and faith, during life; and therefore to be in the diligent use of the means calculated to bring the objects of these graces more fully before the mind. He can repent, only so far as he knows what he is to repent of; and he can believe, only so far as he learns what he is to believe.

Is the sinner to be directed to do any thing before he repents and believes? He is neither to delay repentance and faith till he has done something else; nor is he to delay the performance of practical duties on the ground that he has not yet repented and believed. I would not be understood as intending to decide the question, whether, in the order of nature, certain exercises of the renewed mind must not

precede others; whether conversion begins always with repentance, or faith, or love. If there is any invariable order in these exercises, they may succeed one another so rapidly, that the necessity of this order can furnish no excuse for any perceptible delay, with respect to either of them, or with respect to the commencement of practical godliness.

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But how, it may be asked, is the including of Christian practice among the duties required of the sinner, consistent with the orthodox doctrine, that the first duty to be pressed upon every sinner, is immediate repentance? "God commandeth all men-now to repent.' I answer, that according to the statement which I have made, immediate repentance is required.But if repentance be understood in the limited sense, as consisting in sorrow for sin, this is not the only duty immediately required, as is manifest from the texts which have been quoted. It ought to be observed, however, that according to scriptural usage, the word repentance has commonly a much more extensive signification; especially when the Greek is μsravosa. It includes Christian practice. It is turning from sin to holiness. It is reformation of heart and life. It is ceasing to do evil and learning to do well. In the scriptural sense, therefore, to call upon a man to repent, is to call upon him to enter immediately upon a life of holy obedience. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.*

It may be farther objected, that a man must first have faith, before you set him upon the performance of external duties. Without faith, it is impossible to please God.But what is the nature of the faith which is spoken of in this passage? It is undoubtedly saving faith: for

* Ezek. xviii. 27.

the apostle says the just shall live by faith; and adds, We are of them that believe to the saving of the soul; and then immediately enters upon that description of faith which is continued through the 11th chapter of Hebrews; and which is by far the most particular account of this grace, any where to be found in the scriptures. And what is the representation here given of the faith without which it is impossible to please God? Is it described as a faith which is exercised solely or principally in contemplation, or acts of devotion; which is confined to abstract feelings, unconnected with conduct; which precedes all attempts at practical godliness? Is it not rather spoken of as chiefly expressed in the life; as accompanying external duties? By faith, Noah prepared an ark. By faith, Abraham obeyed, and sojourned in the land of promise. By faith, he offered up Isaac. As James expresses it, faith wrought with his works. By faith, Moses forsook Egypt. By faith, others subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, wandered in deserts and mountains, &c.

But by exhorting impenitent sinners to practical duties, shall we not be in danger of leading them to rely on mere external morality, as a substitute for inward piety? We shall, undoubtedly, if we confine our exhortations to external conduct; if we do not insist upon the necessity of love, and faith, and penitence, to render any action acceptable to God. But enjoining upon sinners the immediate performance of every duty, both internal and external, is not encouraging them to believe, that the latter class alone will entitle them to salvation. They may pervert the truth, in this case, as well as in others. Yet the proper way to guard against this perversion, is to exhibit the truth to them, not in any mutilated and distorted representations, but in the

full and fair proportions in which it is presented in the scriptures.

It may be said again, if the sinner should not mistake external morality for real holiness; yet he will be in danger of relying upon his works, as recommending him to the mercy of God, and preparing him to receive renewing grace. This is very possible, and I fear very common. Yet the proper way to counteract the destructive influence of error, is not to conceal the truth; but to bring it forward in such a manner, as to correct the error.

Again it may be asked, is it not expedient to chain down the attention of the awakened sinner to the single point of his guilt and danger? Is not this the way to give the deepest tone to his feelings; to bring his distress and convictions to a crisis? Is it not best to omit, for the present, any mention of external duties, lest this should divert his attention from the immediate and pressing demands of conscience? The most direct answer to this is, that so far as the plan of address here proposed varies from that which is presented to us in the scriptures, it is a scheme of human invention; and therefore we ought not to expect, that it will be more efficacious than that which has come to us from heaven. No mode of addressing the conscience, no process of conviction, will be of any avail, without the renewing influence of the Spirit. And which have we reason to believe he will most readily bless, the plan of instruction and exhortation pointed out in his word, or that which is substituted by the ingenuity of man? The Christian minister who is really in earnest, in seeking the salvation of his impenitent hearers, will not be satisfied with merely stating to them the terms, which, if complied with, will ensure their salvation. He must be unfaithful indeed, if he does less than this. But he is bound to do more; to give

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