and extensive science, are as deeply involved in moral darkness before regeneration, as the weak and illiterate part of mankind. Through the pride of carnal reasoning, they go astray, and reject the counsel of God. The simple truths of the Gospel were accounted, by the learned Greeks, "foolishness." They could see no consistency in salvation by grace, and through faith in a crucified Savior. It was exceedingly offensive to them, to be told, that they were such sinners as to deserve eternal damnation; that they needed sovereign mercy; and that they could not see the kingdom of God, without experiencing a change of heart. Scientific refinement, and conformity to a system of ethics, were the grounds of their reliance for acceptance with God. Hence, St. Paul says, "The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

In all ages and nations, among all descriptions of men, "the preaching of the cross is, to them that perish, foolishness." "The carnal mind is enmity against God;" direct hostility to every essential doctrine of Scripture. Those people who are disposed to resist the idea of their being totally depraved anterior to regeneration, give the strongest testimony they possibly can, that this is in fact their own situation. No lively and well-informed Christian will ever dispute the entire depravity of man by nature. St. Paul says to a church, of whose members he entertained a high esteem, "Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." Eph. 5. 8.

In the discussion of the present head, it may,

1. Be proper to observe, that those who refuse to speak

according to the Oracles of God, manifest that they have never been born of the Spirit. Hating the grand doctrines of the Gospel, is as great an evidence of impenitence, as an open transgression of the moral law. That God, who requires us to obey his voice, has also commanded us to believe his word. If we have been born of the Spirit, we shall have a respect for all the commandments of Jehovah. People may be moral to a certain degree, without having any regard to the Scriptures as a rule of life. Public opinion is the standard by which many regulate their behavior. They wish to be esteemed; and, therefore, they aim to conduct themselves in conformity to the general tone of morals. Their character depends entirely on the state of the society in which they are placed. Their external conformity to revealed religion, is, therefore, purely an accidental event. No example, however, will induce people to love the truth, as it is in Jesus Christ. Under the influence of such an example, they may assent to divine. doctrines; but their hearts are as unreconciled to them, as the most open and daring opposers. "The carnal mind is enmity against God," under all circumstances. In this state, the heart is a chaos of moral darkness. No ray of divine light irradiates it for the space of a moment. no breach of charity to say, concerning the people who oppose the Trinitarian doctrines, that they have never been renewed by the power of the Holy Ghost; for they deny that there is such an agent in contradistinction from the Father, or such a change as we view regeneration to be, produced in any human heart. Those passages of Scripture which speak of that event, are construed by them to mean nothing but the resurrection of the body. They cannot, therefore, be the subjects of a change, which they themselves believe to be unnecessary, and even impossible. We profess to have an entire faith in both these doctrines;

It is

There

and believe that it is because they have not been born of the Spirit, that they refuse to speak according "to the law and the testimony." It is said in the text, "If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." This is the same as to say that such people have never been "born of the Spirit." There may, however, be a considerable degree of darkness, in relation to the deep things of God, in the minds of some who have been regenerated; but we cannot admit that it is so thick, as to lead them to an open denial of the Divinity and Atonement of Christ—the Deity, Personality, and saving operations of the Holy Ghost. These are fundamental principles in the scheme of revealed religion; and when they are given up, it takes away all claim to the Christian name. No one can be a real Christian, who has not been "born of the Spirit." This has been fully proved by Mr. Wardlaw, in his admirable Sermon, on the Christian name. departure from the cardinal doctrines of the Bible, renders the want of vital piety certain; and every degree of heterodoxy, makes the thing, in some measure, doubtful. A complete soundness, in relation to the divine system, is necessary, to exhibit shining evidence of being a real disciple of Jesus Christ. Soundness in the faith, is closely allied to holiness in action. The one is the tree, and the other its fruit. Corrupting the word of God, is, therefore, no small crime in his view; and we have cogent reasons for saying, that an attempt to overturn its fundamental principles, is a clear indication of being his enmies at heart. To say any thing less than this, would be a flat contradiction of the text which I am now illustrating. This would be a corruption of truth, to which, I hope, through grace, never to descend.

A

Concerning the real ministers of the Gospel, St. Paul says, “For we are not as many, who corrupt the word of

THE ONLY STANDARD OF TRUTH.

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God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ." 2 Cor. 2. 17. No fear need to be entertained, in a faithful declaration of every divine, doctrine. It stands approved of God; and in it, the ministers of Christ commend themselves to the consciences

of men.

There is darkness and light, therefore, in doctrines, as well as in actions. It is a mournful event, in itself considered, to evince, by the sentiments which men believe and inculcate, that they have never been born of God. It is a fact, announced by Heaven, of the teachers who "speak not according to the word," that "it is because there is no light in them." The case of those who are disposed to receive their doctrines, is no less deplorable.

2. The influence under which some people have been placed, is a reason why they refuse to speak according to the divine word. An inspired penman says, "Evil communications corrupt good manners." 1 Cor. 15. 33. The people who reject sound doctrine, have generally been taught to do it by false teachers and pernicious books, or such external causes as have had an influence over them. Therefore says the Prophet Isaiah, "The leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed." Corrupt doctrines, have as great a tendency to ruin the souls of men, as divine truth has to save them from death. The devil, therefore, has had an an interest in inventing and spreading every species of theological falsehood, that has appeared in this fallen world. There is a love in the human heart to unsound doctrines, and an innate opposition to every part of divine truth. This made the wicked Israelites" say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophecy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophecy deceits-cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us."

Isa. 30.

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THE SCRIPTURES ARE

10, 11. It is a very easy matter to delude people, when they have such a strong propensity to be deluded. False instructors, are the most dangerous men in society. It appears that God views them as the very dregs of mankind, from that solemn declaration, "The ancient and the honorable, he is the head; and the prophet that teaches lies, he is the tail." Isa. 9. 15.

God, in righteous judgment, sends such errors among men; for all events are under the government of his holy providence. In speaking of sinners, St. Paul says, "They received not the love of truth that they might be saved. And 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." 2. Thess. 2. 10, 11. "Justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne;" and "he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy." Jehovah is an infinitely wise and glorious Sovereign; and "none may stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou?" His word is "a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death;"—and, therefore," it shall not return unto him void-it shall accomplish that which he pleases, and prosper in the thing whereto he sent it." As the human "heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked," sinners will oppose divine truth, whenever men appear to influence them to it, and to furnish them with plausible arguments against it. It is a great blessing when people are not under the influence of contagious doctrines. Those whom God intends to save are, in general, mercifully preserved from the ruinous influence of false instructions; for when people are corrupted in their religious principles, there is very little hope of their salvation. It can hardly escape notice that the greater part of the hopeful converts in revivals of religion, are the youth who have descended from pious parents, and