MEASURING REED; RECIOUS AND THE VILE. WING WHAT ARE NO CERTAIN SIGNS OF A RENEWED OR GRACIOUS STATE. WING WHAT ARE DISTINGUISHING SIGNS OF TRULY RENEWED AND GRACIOUS STATE. there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, g, Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave nd measure it not, Rev. xi. 1, 2. hou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth. Jer. xv. 19. D AND SONS NO 261 PRADI INTRODUCTION. BY the reed given to the apostle John, and the command he received to measure the temple of God, we are to understand a call on him to draw a line of distinction between true and false worshippers, and separate the precious from the vile. This is the duty of every minister of Jesus Christ; but alas! in the present day, there is such an indiscriminate blending together of light and darkness, of good and evil, that mankind, in general, appear lost to a knowledge respecting the acceptable will of the Lord; while others see such an entire disagreement between what many profess and what they practise, that they feel disgust, and turn away their attention from the subject of religion altogether. Various, indeed, have been the extremes into which men have gone, while few have walked in a right way; and such a dust has been raised by disputes and altercations, one with another, and such a multiplicity of sentiments have been held forth, that the sincere hearted hardly know what course to direct their steps. The author has no other object in view, but to communicate clear ideas respecting the nature of true religion. He trusts he shall not be biassed by any prepossessions in what he writes, or have his mind darkened by prejudice; and if the things contained in these pages are found to accord with the truth of the gospel, he hopes they will have a suitable influence on those who read them. Philadelphia, July, 1815. T. R. GATES. |