Holding fast the faithful Word : a sermon, delivered in the Second Presbyterian Church, in the City of Albany, August 26, 1829, at the installation of the Rev. William B. Sprague, D.D., as pastor of the said church

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SERMON.

Titus I. 9.

Holding fast the faithful word, as he hath been taught,
that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort
and to convince the gainsayers.

The inspired Apostle is here giving directions con-
cerning the proper character and qualifications of
ministers of the Gospel. Some duties are common to
all christians ; while others belong either exclusively,
or in an eminent degree, to pastors and teachers.
The latter is the case with regard to the injunction
implied in our text. On all the disciples of Christ is
laid the charge to " hold fast the faithful word ;" but
on the guides and rulers in the house of God is this
obligation especially devolved ; among other reasons,
for 'this, that they "may be able, by sound doctrine,
both to exhort, and to convince the gainsayers."

By " the faithful word," here spoken of, we are
evidently to understand the pure, unadulterated doc-
trines of Christ ; the genuine Gospel, as revealed by a
gracious God for the benefit of sinful men. Not the
doctrines of this or the other particular denomination
of Christians, as such, but the doctrines of the Bible.

I

6

This system of doctrine is represented as that which
we "have been taught." The Gospel which we
preach, my friends, is not our Gospel. We neither
invented it, nor can we improve it. " I certify you,"
says the same Apostle who penned the words of our
text — " I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which
was preached of me is not after man. For I neither
received it of man, neither was I taught it but by the
revelation of Jesus Christ."

The original word, here properly translated " hold
fast," is very strong and expressive in its import. It
signifies keeping a firm hold of any thing, in opposition
to those who would wrest it from us. Of course, it
implies that Gospel truth is and will ever be opposed
by enemies and " gainsayers ;" and that maintaining
and propagating truth must always be expected, in
such a world as this, to require unceasing effort and
conflict.

The general position of our text, then, is — That the
Ministers of our holy Religion, if they desire to con-
vince, to convert, or to edify their fellow-men, are
solemnly bound to maintain for themselves, and dili-
gently to impart to those around them, " sound doc-
trine," or, in other words, the genuine truths of

THE GOSPEL.

To illustrate and confirm this position, let us, first,
inquire, why we ought to maintain " sound doctrine ;"
and, secondly, how it ought to be maintained ; or in
what manner, and by what means ?

I. The first inquiry which demands our attention,
is, — why ought we to maintain " sound doctrine ?"
Why is it important that all believers, and Ministers
of Religion in particular, should " hold fast the faithful
word ?" And here, let me ask,

1. Can any thing more be necessary to establish the
duty before us, than the consideration that " the faith-
ful word" of which we speak is from God ; that it
was given to us for our temporal and eternal benefit ;
and, of course, given, not to be disregarded, but to be
respected, studied, loved, and diligently applied to
the great purposes for which it was revealed ? To
suppose that we are at liberty lightly to esteem such a
gift, coming from such a source ; or that we commit
no sin in voluntarily permitting a deposit so precious
to be corrupted, perverted, or wrested from us, is a
supposition equally dishonourable to God, and repug-
nant to every dictate of reason.

2. But further ; " holding fast" the genuine system
of revealed truth, is frequently and solemnly com-
manded by the great God of truth. Both the Old
Testament and the New abound with injunctions to
this amount. In the former, we are exhorted to
" cry after knowledge, and lift up our voice for un-
derstanding ; to seek it as silver, and search for it as
for hid treasures." We are exhorted to "buy the
truth, a -id not to sell it." And they are highly com-
mended who are represented as " valiant for the
truth." In the latter, the language of the Holy Spirit
is, " Hold fast the form of sound words which thou
hast received." And again, " Contend earnestly for
the feith" — that is, the revealed doctrine which is the
object of faith — " once delivered to the saints." And
again, " Be not carried about with every wind of
doctrine, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in
wait to deceive." And again, " Hold fast the pro-
fession of your faith firm without wavering." And
again, " If there come any unto you, and bring not

this doctrine" — that is, the true doctrine of Christ —
" receive him not into your house, neither bid him
God speed ; for he that biddeth him God speed, is a
partaker of his evil deeds." Nay, the inspired Apostle
pronounces, " If any man come unto you, and bring
any other Gospel" — that is, any other system of doc-
trine concerning the salvation by Christ — " than that
which ye have received, let him be accursed."*

3. The obligation to " hold fast" the genuine doc-
trines of the Gospel, appears from considering the
great importance which the Scriptures every where
attach to evangelical truth.

I am aware that it is a popular sentiment with many
who bear the Christian name, that doctrine is of little
moment, and that practice alone is all in all. But such
persons surely forget that there can be no settled and
habitual good practice, without good principles ; and
that sound, correct doctrine, is but another name for
sound principle. Take away the doctrines of the
Gospel, and you take away its essential character.
You take away every thing that is adapted to en-
lighten, to restrain, to purify, to console, and to ele-
vate. Take away the doctrines of our holy Religion,
in other words, the great truths of which the " glad
tidings of great joy" are composed, and you take away
the essence of the whole message ; — the seed of all
spiritual life ; the aliment on which every believer
lives ; the vital principles of all experimental piety,
and of all holy practice. What is Faith, but cordially
embracing, with confidence and love, the great truths

* Prov. ii. 3, 4. Prov. xxiii. 23. Jerem. ix. 3. II. Tim. i. 13. Jude 8.
Bphes. iv. 14. Heb. x. 23. II. John, 10, 11. Galat. i. 9.

concerning duty and salvation which the Scriptures
reveal ? What is Repentance, but a holy sorrow for
sin, founded on a spiritual perception of those doc-
trines concerning God, his character, his law, and
the plan of mercy which his word proclaims ? What
is Hope, but looking forward with holy desire and
expectation to that " exceeding and eternal weight
of glory," which " the truth as it is in Jesus" freely
offers to our acceptance ? What, in short, is Religion,
in the largest sense of the term, but the combination
of " knowledge of the truth," " love of the truth,"
and " walking in the truth ?" What is it but having
just apprehensions of those great Objects which are
revealed in Christian doctrine ; just affections and
desires toward them ; and acting out these desires
and affections in the temper and life ? No wonder,
then, that when the impenitent are converted, they
are said to " come to the knowledge of the truth ;"
that they are said to be " born again by the word of
truth ;" to be " made free by the truth," and to
" obey the truth ;" — by all which expressions we are
plainly taught, that truth, or, which is the same
thing, Christian doctrine, is the grand instrument, in
the hands of the Holy Spirit, by which spiritual life is
begun, carried on, and completed in every subject of
redeeming grace.

Hence it is, that the scriptures every where re-
present bringing the truth, in some way, to men, as
absolutely necessary to their conversion and salva-
tion. " How shall they believe in Him of whom they
have not heard ?" Hence they so plainly teach us,
that there can be no real piety where the fundamental
doctrines of the Gospel are not embraced. " Who-
soever abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not

10

God." On this principle, too, it is, that the inspired
volume, with awful emphasis, declares certain " he-
resies" to be " damnable" — that is, inevitably de-
structive to the souls of men. And on the same
principle it is, that all Scripture, and all experience
teach us, that wherever the preaching and the pre-
valence of true doctrine has declined, there piety,
immediately, and in a corresponding ratio, has de-
clined ; good morals have declined ; and all the most
precious interests of the church and of civil society,
have never failed to be essentially depressed.

We cannot, indeed, undertake to pronounce how
much knowledge of sound doctrine is necessary to
salvation ; or how much error is sufficient to destroy
the soul. But we know, from the nature of the case,
and especially from the word of God, that all error,
like poison, is mischievous, and, of course, ought to
be avoided. I know not, indeed, how large a quan-
tity of a given deleterious drug might be necessary,
in a particular case, to take away life : but of one
thing there can be no doubt, that it is madness to
sport with it, and that the less we take of it the better.
As nothing but nutritious food will support the ani-
mal body ; so nothing but Zion's provision, which is
truth, can either commence, or sustain " the life of
God in the soul of man."

4. Further ; the duty to maintain and hold forth
sound doctrine, may be urged from the consideration,
that such doctrine is universally distasteful to the
unsanctified heart, and, therefore, requires not only
to be presented, but also to be importunately pressed
on the attention of men, if, by the blessing of God, we
may prevail with them to receive it.

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It is, somewhere, justly remarked, by one of the
most eloquent of living preachers,* that, of all kinds
of truth, the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ is precisely
that, and that alone, for which there is no natural
demand among men. All other kinds of truth are
called for, even by unsanctified minds. Literary
truth ; philosophical truth ; political truth ; commer-
cial truth; mechanical truth;— for all these there is
a general, steady, and growing demand, as population
becomes more extended and active ; because for all
of them, there is, among the diversified classes of
society, a deep-seated, natural taste. But with re-
gard to the most precious of all truth,— that which
relates to God, and the way of salvation, there is no
natural demand among the mass of mankind. No,
my brethren, we are perfectly aware that the Gospel
which we preach— a Gospel which proclaims to men
their guilt and depravity, and a method of recovery
which lays the sinner in the dust, and stains all his'
pride ;— we are perfectly aware that this is a Gospel
which the natural heart every where hates, and is
disposed to reject ; which, of course, none ever na-
turally desire or seek ; and which, therefore, requires
not merely to be held up to the view of men, but to
be urged and pressed on their minds, with ceaseless
repetition, as long as they continue within the reach
of the voice of mercy.

Nor is this all. The same distaste for the holy,
humbling, and self-denying doctrines of the Gospel,
which renders all men, by nature, disposed to reject
them ;— disposes them also to pervert these doctrines ;
to contrive, in a thousand ways, to reduce and muti-
late them, and thus to endeavour to divest them of

*Pr. Chaimeki .

12

their offensive character, and accommodate them to
the taste of unsanctitied men. This undoubted fact
renders it necessary that all who profess to love the
Religion of Christ, and especially Ministers, who are,
by Divine appointment, the official conservators of
evangelical truth, be constantly on the watch to mark
these unhallowed attempts at mutilation and perver-
sion ; to guard those who are under their care against
the insidious arts of error; to distinguish with clear-
ness between truth and falsehood ; to recommend
the one, and denounce the other ; and thus to " hold
fast" and hold forth sound doctrine, for the benefit of
themselves and others.

5. Another reason why Ministers of Religion ought
to be vigilant, firm, and unwearied in " holding fast
sound doctrine," is, that the enemies of truth are
every where zealous and indefatigable in opposing it.
This consideration is closely allied with the preceding,
but is, nevertheless, worthy of separate notice.

If men were not, every where, prone to embrace
error ; if they did not naturally love error better than
truth ; and if the advocates of erroneous opinions were
not active and unceasing in their efforts to insinuate
them into the minds of men ; there would be the less
call for unremitting vigilance and activity on the part
of the " watchmen on the walls of Zion." We
know, however, that the advocates of error not only
abound in every part of the world, but also that their
exertions to propagate their sentiments are equally
ceaseless, diversified, ingenious and unwearied. Ar-
gument, ridicule, intimidation, Battery, and all the
arts which talent, learning, and diligence enable them
to apply for extending the dominion of their delusive
principles, are constantly employed for effecting this

13

fatal purpose. To say nothing of the avowed rejector
of all revelation, the Unitarian, the Pelagian, the Uni-
versalist, and the whole train of errorists, under the
Christian name, are incessantly busy, from the pulpit
and the press, in public and in private, in disseminating
their pestilential doctrines. Indeed it is melancholy
to think that the advocates of error, like the other
"children of this world" " are wiser in their genera-
tion than the children of light ;" — that is, more active,
more cunning, more watchful, more adroit, more
quick-sighted in devising means, and more unwearied
in pursuing them ; more ingenious in availing them-
selves of opportunities and prejudices in their favour ;
and, on all these accounts, more apt to be successful
in carrying the multitude with them.

In these circumstances, how important is it that
the advocates of truth be awake, active, and faithful
in guarding the precious deposit committed to their
charge ! How wise ought they to be in discriminating
and explaining ; how courageous in defending ; how
firm in " holding fast," and how diligent in proposing,
recommending and enforcing the truth on all around
them ! The fact is, those whose duty it is to plead
the cause of " sound doctrine," in the present world,
are like mariners rowing against both wind and tide.
To make head-way, requires incessant exertion.
The moment it is intermitted, without a miracle, the
current bears them, and all the interests in behalf of
which they plead, rapidly down the stream.

6. A further consideration which shows the im-
portance of ministers' " holding fast," and endea-
vouring diligently to propagate the genuine doctrines
of the Bible, is, that there is, every where, such a de-

14

plorable lack of doctrinal information among the mass
of the people.

It might be supposed that in this age of printing
and of books, and especially when the press has been,
of late, so much enlisted on the side of truth and piety,
that there would be found, at any rate among the
friends of religion, much more extended reading, and
digested knowledge, than in any former times. J3ut
I am under a great mistake if this be the fact. Half
a century ago, serious professors of religion, and
especially those who laid claim to the character of
intelligent Christians, were much more, I apprehend,
in the habit of retired and careful religious reading,
than is now common. Then the Bible, though
copies of it were not so multiplied as at present, was
daily and abundantly perused. Then the popular
writings of Owen, Baxter, F lav el, Charnock, Bunyan,
Manton, Halyburton, Watts, Doddridge, Dickinson,
Edwards, Bellamy, and a number more of the same
class, were found on the shelves of most pious fami-
lies connected with our church, and other evangeli-
cal denominations ; — were read with some degree of
intelligence and care ; and recommended to the rising
generation. But has not this laudable habit, within a
few years past, fallen into comparative disuse? Do
not private christians, now, commonly spend much
less time in storing their minds with scriptural know-
ledge than formerly? I fear we cannot deny that
such is the fact. For this fact perhaps two reasons
may be assigned.

The first is, that professing christians of the present
day have so many objects of public enterprise and
exertion, to occupy their time, and engage their at-
tention, that they are often tempted to slight the

15

more private, and less attractive duties of retirement
and devotion. There is so much to be done by ever}
man of zeal and energy, in helping forward the mul-
tiplied plans of Christian benevolence which charac-
terize the present period, that, unless he be very
careful to redeem time, and possess great decision of
Christian character, he will often find the duties of
the closet crowded into a corner, or, perhaps, occa-
sionally, excluded altogether, by his public engage-
ments. Besides ; there is something in the very na-
ture of zealous efforts, and especially of public efforts,
to extend the Redeemer's kingdom, so exciting, so
warming, so spirit-stirring, that they are adapted to
gratify some of the strongest natural feelings as well
as the gracious principles of men. Hence they are
often more attractive, even to good men, than those
duties which include less of public exhibition, and of
social excitement. The consequence is, that many,
otherwise exemplary professors of religion, who are
called to take an active part in the great operations
of the day, spend less of their time in retirement and
devotion ; — meditate less — read less — pray less — ex-
amine themselves less than persons equally engaged
in religion, were wont to do formerly ; and, of course,
employ less time in instructing and catechising their
children, and in praying with them, and for them.
In these circumstances, it is by no means wonderful
that both parents and children should manifest much,
less digested and mature scriptural knowledge, than
the multiplied privileges of the day would seem to
warrant us in expecting.

A second reason for the undoubted deficiency of
doctrinal knowledge, even in the church, may, per-
haps, be drawn from the light and ephemeral charac-

16

ter of what we may call the religious literature of the
day. Have not religious Newspapers, and other light
periodical publications, in a great measure taken the
place of the larger and more instructive works before
alluded to? Publications which, by their number,
have left little time for other reading ; and by their
superficial character, little taste for reading of a more
deep, solid and connected kind. Is it not manifest,
that the mass, even of the hopefully pious, have a
large portion of their reading time so much occupied,
and their taste so much formed, b) the details of reli-
gious intelligence ; by the exciting eloquence of anni-
versaries ; and by the pungent discussion to which
new projects and controversies give rise ; that they
have seldom much relish for the calm study of evan-
gelical truth, or even for the retired and prayerful
perusal of the Scriptures ? What proportion of pri-
vate Christians at the present day, with all the mul-
tiplication and almost universal circulation of weekly
and monthly journals, which profess to diffuse reli-
gious knowledge, would be able, think you, to defend
their professed creed against a plausible adversary,
or to give an intelligent " reason of the hope that is
in them" ? I am afraid a very small proportion in-
deed. Nay, is there not some reason to fear, that
even Ministers of the Gospel, in many cases, lmve
their reading too much confined to the passing pe-
riodical works of the day; if not to the exclusion, at
least to the lamentable diminution of thai profounder
and more mature study to which the spiritual teachers
and guides of the people ought to be ever habitually

addicted ? My friends, I make no charge ; I prefer

no accusation against those whom I now address.
But I, most respectfully, oiler these queries to your

n

serious and impartial consideration. How far they
may be considered as applying to the religions popu-
lation of this City and neighbourhood, 1 know not.
But. there are neighbourhoods, to which, my better
acquaintance with their state enables me to say, that
they are by no means inapplicable.

You will not consider me, I trust, as intending to
proscribe, or even to censure, religious periodical
publications. When wisely conducted, and not in-
ordinately multiplied, they deserve to be regarded as
among the rich blessings of the day in which we live ;
and those who refuse to patronize them, deprive
themselves, and, so far as their example goes, deprive
the Church of God, of an invaluable auxiliary. But
when publications of this kind become so numerous
as to impoverish and enfeeble one another, and render
it difficult for any to attain the highest excellence :
and, especially, when persons altogether inadequate
to the task of instructing and guiding the religious
public, undertake to be their conductors, merely "for
a piece of bread ;" they can only be sources of paltry
amusement. Solid intellectual and moral nutrition,
it is impossible they should furnish. Wherever this
is the case, the consequences cannot fail of being
deplorable. There will, almost necessarily, ensue, a
diminished attention to Christian doctrine ; of course
a diminished knowledge of it ; and, consequently, a
constant liability to be " carried about by every wind
of doctrine," to which ignorance, vanity, or fanati-
cism may attempt to give currency in the community.
And, accordingly, how often have we seen, to our
astonishment, not only individual professors, but,
perhaps, considerable portions of particular churches,
which we once thought as well instructed and ex-

" ' -— ■»-

18

emplary as almost any among us, borne away by the
very first onset of some plausible errorist, and making
a temporary, if not a final " shipwreck of the faith" !
Now, such being the deplorable deficiency of sound
and discriminating Christian knowledge, among the
mass, even of serious, and otherwise exemplary,
professors ; is it not peculiarly important that some
counteracting influence should be found and applied ?
And to whom are we to look, under God, for this
influence, but to the Leaders and Guides of the
Church ? If, as the Prophet informs us, " the Priest's
lips are to keep knowledge," surely there are none to
whom we can more rightfully turn for relief, than to
the ministers of religion. And I will venture to say,
that there cannot be a characteristic prevalence of
popular ignorance where they are duly faithful, in the
various ways which their office demands, in " feeding
the people with knowledge and with understanding."

7. The diffusion of sound religious doctrine through
all classes of the community, is one of the surest
means of establishing and pe?'petuating our national
privileges.

We often, my friends, congratulate ourselves on
the free constitutions of government under which we
are so happy as to live. That our lot is cast in a
land where the People, under God, are supreme ;
where we are not called to bow to the will of a
crowned despot, or to the oppression's of privileged
orders : Where we have no ecclesiastical establish-
ments ; but where, under governments of our own
choice, and laws of our own formation, all enjoy
those "equal rights to which the laws of nature, and
of nature's God entitle them." And we may well

19

congratulate ourselves, and be thankful for these
privileges. The great Governor of the world " hath
not dealt so with any other nation." " The lines are
fallen unto us in pleasant places, yea we have a
goodly heritage." And our prayer, as patriots, and
as Christians ought to be, that these inestimable
blessings may be preserved and transmitted, un-
impaired, to the latest generations.

But hoiv, think you, my respected hearers, may we
rationally hope that these blessings will be preserved
inviolate, and transmitted to a distant posterity ? I
take for granted every individual in this assembly is,
in his judgment convinced that such a hope cannot
be realized without the general prevalence of Chris-
tian principle. An ignorant people, must be an irreli-
gious people. An irreligious people must be an im-
moral people. And an immoral people must be a
miserable people. That such a people should be long
free, is just as impossible as that light and darkness
should agree, or that the relation of cause and effect
should cease. Many, indeed, tell us, that literature
and philosophy, without the fear of God, without the
Gospel of Christ, will restrain, purify, and regulate
men, and generate the purest and most efficient pa-
triotism. Nay, it is the favourite theory of some,
given up to the insanity of infidel fanaticism — the
most blind and senseless of all fanaticism — that the
only hope of perfecting and perpetuating the social
system, in its best form, is, to reject the religion of
Christ ; to renounce the laws of Marriage and of the
Sabbath; and, in short, to throw off' most of the re-
straints which the religious and moral code, under
which we are so happy as to live, imposes. But be-
lieve them not. As well might they tell us that we

20

must all turn brutes in order to be perfect and happy
mcn. No, the native fruit of their unhallowed system,
is, that selfishness, avarice, profligate ambition, fraud,
violence, luxury, and unbridled sensuality, which
have always been the great destroyers of Republics,
and which, if ever they become generally character-
istic of our population, will as infallibly destroy ws,
and deliver us up, either to the most horrible anarchy,
or to the gloomiest tyranny, as ever they did the most
miserable of our predecessors.

These things being so, can any one possibly doubt
that the diligent diffusion of pure religious knowledge
is of inestimable importance to the best interests of
our beloved country ?-That enlightened patriotism, as
well as piety, ought to labour unceasingly to impart it
to all classes of the community, and especially to the
rising generation ? No, my friends, mathematical
demonstration never conducted any man to a more
unquestionable result. Whether I were called upon,
then, to address you as good citizens, or as faithful
Christians, I would say to you all, and more particu-
larly to those of your number who bear the office of
the holy ministry — Give all diligence to impart pure,
Bible know ledge to all within your reach — to old and
young, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free.
Teach them the character of God, and the relations
which we all equally bear to him. Teach them the
condition of our race, by nature, as polluted, guilty
sinners in the sight of their heavenly Sovereign.
Teach them the way of pardon and sanctification
through the atoning sacrifice, and life-giving Spirit of
the Divine Redeemer, and the endearing ties by which
the principles of our " common salvation" bind to-
gether the whole human family. Teach them that

21

all men are by nature equal in the sight of God ; and,
therefore, that all tyranny and oppression are objects
of his righteous abhorrence. Teach them that the
" kingdom of Christ is not of this world ;" and,
therefore, that every species of alliance between
Church and State is forbidden, and can never fail to
become a curse to both. Teach them to abhor those
vices which the laws of man cannot reach, but which
do more to undermine and destroy social happiness
than a volume could unfold. Teach them to love
those graces and virtues, which human authority can-
not enforce, but which are vital to the establishment
of social prosperity. — Teach them faithfully and dili-
gently these things — and you cannot take a more
direct course to lift up their minds above every thing
that is grovelling and corrupt ; to curb their unruly
appetites ; to restrain their unhallowed passions ; to
banish fraud, intemperance and voluptuousness, from
the land ; to promote industry, self-denial, modera-
tion, and universal order, justice, purity and benevo-
lence. You cannot take a more direct and certain
course to render the insidious demagogue despised,
and to deprive the profligate votary of ambition of all
his influence ; to inspire a love of liberty, and to pro-
mote the prevalence of the purest patriotism. You
cannot employ a more infallible means to secure a
faithful use of the elective franchise, and, conse-
quently, to exalt the wise and the good to stations of
authority. You cannot, in a word, take a more direct
course to establish the reign of all those principles,
sentiments and habits, which, a thousand-fold more
than constitutions and laws, tend to perpetuate civil
and religious liberty, and social happiness.

3

22

Christians ! ministers of the gospel ! here lies our
country's fairest, best, only hope ! To those who
love the cause of Christ, is committed, under God,
her precious destiny. Spread Christian knowledge
in every direction. Never rest satisfied while there
is a dark corner of our land unfurnished with faithful
Bible instruction ; and you will transmit, unimpaired,
our precious privileges as a people to that bright and
blessed day of millenial glory, when " the kingdoms
of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord,
and of his Christ ;" — and when " the knowledge and
glory of God shall cover the earth as the waters
cover the sea."

8. Bat further; the Great Operations of the day in
which we live, call for special attention and diligence
in regard to the object for which I plead.

It is one of the glories, my friends, of the period in
which our lot is cast, that professing christians of
almost every denomination have come together, and
are more and more coming together, for the purpose
of uniting their efforts to send Bibles, religious Tracts,
the living Missionary, and the system of Sabbath
Schools, throughout the world. I repeat it, this is
one of the great glories of the day in which we live.
Every minister, and every christian who is so happy
as to live at this day, ought to be thankful for it as a
great privilege ; to enter into the spirit of the hal-
lowed co-operation ; and to cheer it on by his ex-
ample, his exertions, and his substance, as well as
by his prayers. If there be a minister or a professing
Christian, who looks coldly upon these great plans of
christian benevolence, and refuses to put his hand to
the work, — I "judge him not ;" but he really seems to

23

me to stand very near, if not actually in, the ranks oi'
those who " will not come up to the help of the Lord
against the mighty," and who are placed in no very
enviable eminence in the sacred history.

Be it remembered, however, that one fundamental
principle of this noble union is, that all the denomi-
nations which are parties to it, promise neither to
compromit, nor to invade the peculiarities of each
other. The publications circulated are of a general
character, in which they all agree. The practical
language of their union is to the following amount.
" We will agree to act together, for the sake of acting
Avith more strength, and upon a greater scale. To
a certain extent, we are entirely united, both in
principle and practice. To that extent, we can gor-
dially co-operate without difficulty. And as to the
peculiar doctrines which the pious Presbyterian, the
pious Episcopalian, or the pious Methodist may wish
to see circulated within the limits of his own deno-
mination ; let the Pastors and Teachers, within the
respective bounds of each, take care, in addition to
the general measures, which are not sectarian, to
provide for conveying that appropriate instruction
which each may deem desirable and important."

This is fair, honourable, and christian-like. But
let me request you to take particular notice, that the
faithful and happy execution of this admirable plan,
not only allows, but really requires, that each parti-
cular denomination engaged in carrying it on, be
careful not to neglect, or even slight, either of its
parts. While, on the one hand, they cordially act
upon the principles of their union, and circulate the
general publications which they have agreed in form-
ing, ' through every part of the land ; on the other.

24

each party is no less bound, by an implied pledge, lo
be diligent in instructing its own population, and
especially its own children and young people, in its
own peculiar views of truth and order. If this be
not done, either many discerning and zealous indi-
viduals, of each denomination, will withdraw from
the Union, as not faithfully executed, and as adapted,
ultimately, to deceive and ensnare : or, the next
generation will grow up in a great measure unin-
doctrinated ; or, to speak in the most guarded terms,
very far from being instructed in theological truth in
that accurate and discriminating manner which the
enlightened guardians of " the household of faith"
know to be important.

Under this impression, if I could speak to every
Presbyterian Minister and Church in the United
States, it would be in the following language — If you
desire to see different denominations of Christians
more and more united in affection and effort ; if you
wish well to the great Institutions of pious benevo-
lence, round which, and in behalf of which the fol-
lowers of Christ, of different names, are rallying with
holy zeal ; if you wish them to remain, and to be-
come more and more, great public blessings ; — if you
desire to see them firmly sustained by public senti-
ment, and adapted to answer public expectation ;
nay, if you do not wish to find them cheating your-
selves and your children into comparative ignorance,
or, at least, superficiality, in Christian doctrine ; —
watch over the Sabbath Schools, and the Bible Classes
in your respective congregations with intense interest.
Carry into them, and unfold, with unremitting dili-
gence, those views of Gospel truth which you honest-
ly believe to be agreeable to the word of God. Add

25

to the Sabbath School lesson, such excellent and
scriptural formularies of doctrine, as shall prepare
your youthful charge to receive, not merely a meagre
outline, but a strong and well delineated portrait of
that blessed system of " grace and truth," which it
is happy for every one to know, " from a child," as
distinctly and clearly as possible. Follow the Tract,
which, as a powerful pioneer, has gone before you,
and prepared the way ; — follow it, as far as possible,
with still deeper instruction in the precious general
truths which it unfolds. Remember that, although
the whole Christian world is in motion, the great
movements of the day embrace no plan for the dis-
semination of sound, distinguishing doctrine. There
is no Institution, no Society which has for its object
that on behalf of which I plead in this discourse. It
is left to be pursued by the Pastors and other Officers,
and, with their aid, by all the members of our re-
spective Churches. Thus you will guard against the
evils which some have predicted, as likely to arise
from union in these operations. You will contribute
your share to render the Institutions of which we
speak more extensively useful ; more firmly popular ;
and a richer blessing to yourselves and your children.
Nay, strange as it may seem to some, you will do
more to harmonize and unite Christians of different
denominations in every hallowed affection and enter-
prise, than by any other course you can possibly
pursue.

9. Once more ; the great importance of diffusing
sound, scriptural knowledge among the people, not
only appears from the character of the day in which
we. live ; but also from the character of those days
which ive hope and believe are approaching.

26

That times of deep interest to the Church and the
world are hastening on, the watchmen on the walls of
Zion seem generally to agree. When we are asked,
indeed, what will be the precise aspect and bearing of
these coming scenes, we dare not venture to foretel
in detail. But that two features will be very pro-
minent and impressive, I think we may venture,
without presumption, confidently to anticipate. In
the first place, we may hope that the approaching
times will be distinguished by Revivals of Religion,
more frequent, more extensive, and more glorious
than we have ever been accustomed to contemplate :
And, secondly, by a boldness and bitterness of
opposition, on the part of the enemies of the Gospel,
no less marked, and beyond all former precedent.
Nowr, unless I greatly mistake, it is of the utmost
importance, as a preparation for both these events,
that care be taken to spread " sound doctrine," as
deeply and extensively as possible, through every
portion of the community, and especially among the
rising generation.

With respect to the importance of this preparation
for revivals of Religion, of extraordinary extent and
power, it is so obvious, that I need but hint at the
subject. It is known, by painful experience, that
powerful effusions of the Holy Spirit are often ac-
companied by perversions and abuses, which tend, at
once, to tarnish their lustre, and to arrest their pro-
gress. False zeal, extravagance, ebullitions of ani-
mal sympathy, enthusiasm, and various kinds of dis-
order, have so often followed in the train of undoubted
operations of the grace of God, that many have been
prejudiced against revivals of religion altogether, and
been ready to pronounce them all a miserable delu-

27

sion, and the very term, a watchword of fanaticism.
Now, there is hardly any point respecting which
enlightened and pious divines are more agreed, than
that the irregularities and extravagancies to which I
have just alluded, are most apt to occur among a
people comparatively uninstructed on the subject of
Religion. When such a people have so great a sub-
ject powerfully presented to them, not only in the
preaching of the word, but also in the visible triumphs
of its Divine energy ; no wonder they are often ex-
cited in a manner, and fall into disorders, which in-
telligent Christians contemplate with regret. Power-
ful feeling, without enlightened judgment to controul
it ; ardent " zeal, without knowledge" to regulate it,
have been, in all ages, the bane both of the purity and
the order of the Church. Whereas all experience
testifies, that such excesses and disorders seldom
occur, and, certainly, are much less likely to occur, in
Churches in which the people have been early and
carefully trained in the knowledge of divine truth.
Such a people will have the best defence against
enthusiasm, against fanaticism, against superstition,
against all the forms in which " strange fire" is apt to
burst out, and work mischief in seasons of excitement.
If ministers, then, wish the people of their charge
to be prepared for revivals of Religion ; to profit by
them most effectually ; and to be carried through
them in a happy manner ; — if they wish revivals to
come to them in their most sound and genuine cha-
racter, and to leave behind them their happiest re-
sults ; — if it be their desire, in short, that the fruits of
these blessed " rains of righteousness" should be, not
stunted, feeble, and short-lived plants, which, having
" no deepness of earth," will speedily wither away ; —

28

but firm, lofty and thriving trees, fixed deep in the
soil of Christian instruction and experience ; — let
them labour without ceasing to imbue every mind
within their reach, as early as possible, with sound,
Bible doctrine ; with clear, discriminating, Scriptural
knowledge.

Of no less importance is a deep and intimate know-
ledge of divine truth, as a preparation for days of
conflict with the enemies of religion. The great ad-
versary, knowing that " his time is short," is stirring
up, and will, probably, more and more stir up, infidels,
skeptics, heretics, and, perhaps, some formalists who
pass for orthodox, — to oppose the claims and the
progress of vital piety ; and especially the claims and
the progress of Christian effort. Effort for honouring
the Holy Sabbath ; for improving, in every form, the
intellectual, moral and religious state of society ; and
for evangelizing the world ; — For, surely, no ultimate
object short of this, can bound the ambition of Chris-
tians. Now, there seems every prospect that the
opposition of which I speak will wax louder and
stronger, — wielding the w eapons of ridicule, calumny,
cruel mockings, and every form of reviling that bigot-
ry, prejudice, or impiety can forge ; — until it shall
reach that stage of warfare, called in the Apocalypse,
"the great day of the battle of God Almighty." A
" Battle" which is destined, not long hence, to divide,
to convulse, and to emancipate the world.

Now, for this conflict, in all its stages, one of the
most important preparations is a mature and thorough
acquaintance with revealed truth. Hence the in-
spired Apostle, in speaking of the Christian's contest
witii the powers of darkness, exhorts him to take the
" Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God," as

29

one of the most indispensable and efficient portions of
his armour. Accordingly, it is observable, that our
blessed Saviour, in resisting the devil, when exposed
to his severest temptation in the wilderness, resorted
to the Scriptures of truth as his principal weapon.
To the most insidious attempts to ensnare him, his
reply constantly was—" It is written"—" It is writ-
ten." Before this weapon even Satan could not
stand. He cowered and withdrew, abashed and de-
feated. And whenever a similar conflict with the
powers of darkness and their emissaries, shall come
upon any of " the dwellers upon earth," to " try the
spirits" of men, and especially to " sift as wheat" the
ranks of professors ; happy will those be who shall
be found enlightened and confirmed, as well as sincere
and warm-hearted Christians! Happy, and only
happy, in that day, will those be, who shall be found
intelligently "holding fast the faithful word," and
" ready to give a reason of the hope that is in them
with meekness and fear" ! These are the men to
triumph in perilous service, and to display the power
of Christian courage and magnanimity. These, when
the storm rages, will be found stable and safe as the
Rock on which their feet are placed. A little band
of them will do more to strike terror into the ranks
of error and sirt, and to " turn to flight the armies of
the aliens," than thousands of your superficial pro-
fessors, who have little or no " root in themselves,"
and who, " when tribulation or persecution ariseth,
because of the word, by and by will be offended ;"
and either openly turn traitors to the best of causes ;
or, before they are aware, be swept from their appa-
rent standing, by the power of the foe, and fall, with
their whole weight, into his unhallowed territory.

1

30

Having dwelt so long on the importance of main-
taining and diffusing " sound doctrine," let us next,

II. Inquire, in what manner, and by what means
this duty ought to be fulfilled ?

Into this wide field we cannot enter at large. A
lew brief hints can alone be offered. And,

1. We are to maintain pure evangelical truth firm-
ly and earnestly. " Contend," says the inspired
Apostle, — " Contend earnestly for the faith once
delivered to the saints." Many, indeed, entertain a
prejudice against all controversy on the subject of
religious doctrine, and imagine that it is never pro-
ductive of any thing but evil. But this is a prejudice
merely, and a prejudice as unreasonable as it is un-
scriptural. If the truth of God's word be really of
sufficient value to be worth defending ; if there be
multitudes in the world who continually hate and
oppose it ; and if it cannot be maintained and pro-
pagated without frequently pleading in its behalf
against " gainsayers ;" — then controversy, even reli-
gious controversy, is sometimes unavoidable. The
Prophets, the Apostles, nay Christ himself, often
engaged in controversy ; and have made it our duty,
by precept as well as by example, whenever it is
necessary, to do the same. But we need go no fur-
ther than our context, for an express authority to
this effect. The Apostle, in the very next verse, to
enforce the duty of " holding fast the faithful word,"
and maintaining " sound doctrine," observes — " For
there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers,
whose mouths must be stopped, teaching things which
they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. Wherefore

31

rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in th%
faith." I grant, indeed, that this duty is often a self-
denying and painful one. But this is no reason why
it should not be considered as sometimes incumbent
upon us. It is not pleasant to be called upon to defend
our property against robbers, or our lives against
assassins. But as long as there are robbers and as-
sassins in the world, we must submit to the necessity
of resisting their violence. In like manner, as long
as there are opposers and revilers of the truth, it will
be a part of that " good fight of faith," which we are
commanded to maintain, to defend it with firmness
and zeal against every hostile invader.

2. While we maintain the truth Jirmly and ear-
nestly, we ought, at the same time, to do it mildly,
and, as far as possible, inoffensively ; with " the
meekness and gentleness of Christ." Not haughtily,
or dogmatically ; but in the spirit of Christian bene-
volence. Not harshly, or with unnecessary severity ;
but with paternal affection. Not after the manner of
the " disputers of this world ;" but, like a messenger
from above, intent, not on victory, but on doing good.
Not as though we had " dominion over the faith" of
our hearers ; but as humble helpers of their spiritual
benefit. For this purpose, we ought to make con-
stant appeals to the authority of the Master whose
truth we dispense ; illustrating Scripture by Scrip-
ture ; and going continually to the Sacred Oracles for
all our positions, and all our weapons ; remembering
that one, " thus saith the Lord," is worth a thousand
of our own philosophical deductions, however plausi-
ble or imposing. In short, I am constrained to believe
that, even in defending the most precious truth, it is

34

(he piouj Waldensesy in the dark ages, solemnly
recorded, at different periods, that testimony to the
truth and order of the Gospel, which rendered them
" lights in the world" while they flourished ; and
have served to illuminate and encourage the steps ol
millions in succeeding times. And it is thus that our
beloved Church, by her ecclesiastical Formularies,
bears witness to the truth, amidst the multiplied cor-
ruptions in doctrine and order with which she is sur-
rounded. She claims for these Formularies no in-
trinsic authority whatever. The Bible is her only
rule of faith and practice. Her Confession of Faith
and Catechisms are her public and solemn testimony,
as a Church, to what she deems the doctrines of the
Bible. Of course, to depart from these, is, in her
opinion, to depart from the only infallible rule. So
far, then, as ecclesiastical Formularies are founded
on the word of God ; — so long as they speak its lan-
guage, and breathe its spirit ; — and unless they do
this, they are unworthy of being received at all ; —
but so long as they bear this character, it is incum-
bent on all the members, and especially on all the
Leaders and Guides of the Church, to honour them ;
to hold them fast ; and carefully to employ them for
the great purposes which they were intended to an-
swer ; that is, for imbuing the youthful mind with
the elements of evangelical truth ; and for securing
soundness in the faith in those who are introduced to
the offices of teaching and ruling in the Church.
When, therefore, these formularies are duly respect-
ed, and faithfully employed, in their appropriate cha-
racter : when Ministers, Elders, and Parents, in their
respective charges, are found applying them with
diligence to the youth under their care : when tire

35

Sabbath-School, the Catechetical Class, and the do-
mestic circle, can all bear testimony to the fidelity
with which they are sustained : And, finally, when
ecclesiastical Judicatories, faithful to the spirit and
purpose of these public Standards, close the door of
admission to office in the Church, against all who
are known to be unfriendly to them ;— then, and then
only, can they be said to act, with fidelity, in the
spirit of our text.

5. Again; it is important that we maintain and
propagate sound doctrine in its proper connection
and order. Not that it is necessary formally to
exhibit to every one a complete system of divinity -t
or to aim at making all around us systematic divines.
Still, in the world of grace, as well as of nature, one
thing is connected with another. There is a real
plan and order in which Gospel truths impart light,
strength and glory to each other. And, accordingly,
we read in Scripture of " the proportion of faith," of
« the analogy of faith," and of « the first principles
of the doctrine of Christ ;" plainly implying, that the
genuine Gospel of Christ is a connected, proportion-
ate, consistent, orderly system ; and that the relation
of its parts ought by no means to be neglected, either
in studying them for ourselves, or in imparting them
to others. The most illiterate and youthful minds, I
am persuaded, are often profited by an attention to
this point, on the part of their teachers, even before
they are capable of perceiving the fact, and far less of
understanding its reason.

And here I cannot resist the conviction that a word
ought to be said in favour of a method of instruction,
h%hly prized and much practised by our Fathers, but

36

which toe, their children, have suffered to tall into
comparative disuse. I mean that plan of pulpit in-
struction commonly called Expounding, or Lecturing.
The method of preaching on single, insulated texts,
now almost universal, was scarcely known in the
Church until about the thirteenth century. The
effect of this innovation has been, to render the
Preacher more prominent than the "faithful Wordf
which he professes to explain ; and, consequently, to
diminish a taste for the study of the Scriptures in
their connection. What we style Lecturing, or ex-
pounding large passages of the sacred text, was, un-
doubtedly, the primitive mode of preaching ; and,
although certainly the most difficult of execution ;
yet when well conducted, by far the most profitable,
both to the preacher himself, and to his hearers. It
constrains the preacher to study the contents of the
Bible in their instructive connection ; to be familiar
with every part of the Scriptures ; to treat all classes
of subjects ; and to be in the habit of explaining the
Bible by itself. And, where he expounds a ivhole
book in course, he has his subject, for one part of the
day at least, always before him, for weeks if not
months together, so that he cannot lose a moment in
searching for a text. And what is no less important,
he is enabled to discuss in their turn, as they present
themselves on the sacred page, the most delicate and
unusual topics, either of doctrine or duty, without
incurring the charge of either personality, or sinister
design. Nor are the advantages less which accrue
to the hearers, from this plan of preaching. It leads
them to carry their Bibles to the house of God ; to
meditate much there on the faithful word ; to think
of it more frequently at home ; to trace its conne#-

37

tion with more interest ; and to feel, from sabbath to
sabbath, as if they were listening to Jehovah himself,
rather than to the humble messenger of his truth.
When pulpit discourses shall become less of eloquent
orations on announced subjects ; and more of simple,
affectionate, and faithful expositions and applications
of Scripture ; they will become, I doubt not, more
effectual in convincing and converting sinners, as
well as in building up believers in faith and holiness
unto salvation.

6. I will only add, it is important that sound doc-
trine be maintained and propagated in a distinguish-
ing, practical and pointed manner ; in a manner
adapted to impress the heart as well as the under-
standing. We are not to communicate truth upon a
plan calculated to promote mere frigid orthodoxy ;
but upon a plan suited to address, and to win every
part of man's nature ; his conscience, his will, and
his affections, as well as his intellectual powers : — in
short, in a manner which amounts to what the Apostle
styles, " rightly dividing the word of truth, and giving
to every one, whether saint or sinner, his portion in
due season." The fact is, there is nothing to which
depraved man is more prone, even after turning his
attention to the subject of religion, than to rely on
something formal, external and speculative, instead
of the immoveable Rock which is laid in Zion. Self-
righteousness, in a thousand shapes, is the grand
delusion of our nature. And it is evident that the
spirit of self-righteousness may feed upon doctrines as
well as upon works. A man, as one strongly ex-
presses it, " may be frozen to the very seat of life, in
the ice of orthodoxy." He may have the heart of the

5

38

veriest Pharisee, while his head is stored with th,«
soundest opinions. It is of the utmost importance,
then, that " sound doctrine" be presented, not as a
mere system of speculations ; but as a body of vital
principles ; as ever pointing to experimental piety,
and to holy practice, and as of no ultimate value
without both. It is in this manner that the great
doctrines of the Gospel are exhibited in the Holy
Scriptures ; and we shall never be so likely to exhibit
them profitably, as when we adopt the same plan, and
teach "as the Holy Ghost teacheth."

The foregoing discussion furnishes matter for a
variety of practical inferences ; to some of which
allow me to request your serious attention.

1. We may learn from this subject what ought to be
the general structure and character of Gospel Sermons.
Some have supposed, and have explicitly taught, that
the only legitimate object of preaching is to convey
instruction; to inform, the understanding. While
others have gone to the opposite extreme, and have
insisted that the grand object aimed at in Sermons
ought to be, not to convey instruction ; but to impress
the moral and active powers ; to excite, to alarm, to
awaken, to warm, to impel to action. Now, I appre-
hend that that discourse is of very little value as a
Gospel Sermon, which is formed, exclusively, upon
either of these plans. The proclamation of the living
Teacher is the great ordinance of God for awakening
and converting the world. The children of men are
asleep in sin ; and, therefore, need rousing as well as
instruction. On the one hand, then, that Sermon
which does not " feed the people with knowledge
nnd with understanding ;" which does not distinctly

39

and clearly exhibit truth, Gospel truth, as the basis of
all genuine feeling ; as the groundwork of all Scrip-
tural excitement, can be but little better than empty
declamation. For no excitement, no feeling, no con-
viction can be of any value, excepting that which is
produced by the operation of truth, or, in other words,
of " sound doctrine," on the conscience and the heart.
On the other hand, that Sermon which is addressed
to the intellect alone, and which, of course, is not
fitted to awaken and rouse, labours under a defect
quite as essential. It leaves out of view some of the
most precious powers and wants of the soul. This
is evident from the fact, that a man may be doctrinally
enlightened in the most thorough manner, and, after
all, remain a devil still. The celebrated Ganganelli,
perhaps the brightest ornament of the Papal throne,
since the rise of that enormous ecclesiastical usurpa-
tion, in one of his " Letters," beautifully remarks —
" If a preacher only instruct, he does nothing more
" than prepare the mind. If, on the other hand, he
" only affect the passions, he does but half his work ;
" he leaves but a slight and temporary impression.
" But if he diffuse the light of truth, while he scatters
" the unction of grace, he well fulfils his duty." In
short, the artillery of the pulpit, ought to resemble
that of the skies. There ought to be thunder as well
as lightning. And then may we hope that, by the
divine blessing, a " rain of righteousness" will plenti-
fully descend.

2. We may infer from what has been snid, how
infinitely important it is that Ministers carefully study
and understand the truth ; that they know it deeply,
accurately, and systematically ! Perhaps we may say,

40

that the primary and most constant employment of
every faithful minister, is to present truth — evangeli-
cal truth, to the minds of men, for their sanctification.
Whether he preaches, or catechises, or converses, or
visits " from house to house ;" — whether he opens his
mouth in the public sanctuary, or the family, or the
sabbath school, or the social circle, or the street, or
the public conveyance, his great object is, or ought to
be, to bring truth to bear on the minds of all around
him, for their temporal and eternal benefit. Now, it
is plain that nothing but truth can be really beneficial
to men. And it is, therefore, only so far as we pre-
sent genuine truth, simple, Bible truth, to those whom
we approach, and present it in the spirit of its Au-
thor, that we can have any reasonable hope of doing
them good. This being the case, how solemn, nay,
how fearful, is the responsibility of Gospel Ministers,
in reference to the doctrines which they preach !
With what diligence and solicitude ought they, above
all men, to seek to know the truth ! How humbly,
impartially, prayerfully, and unceasingly ought they
to study it ! How ought they to tremble at the thought
of giving the people their own notions, instead of " the
faithful word ;" giving them that on which they may
grow lean, and starve, nay, by which they may be
fatally poisoned, instead of dispensing to them the
" Bread of life" ! That minister, then, I will venture
to say, who is ignorant of the truth, or who has but
a superficial knowledge of it ; who is indifferent to the.
truth, or disposed to trifle or tamper with it ; who is
doubtful and wavering respecting the truth, or de-
stitute of that skill which will enable him " rightly to
divide it" — is not qualified to be a guide to immortal
souls. Surely that man who is not " rooted and

41

grounded in the truth ;" who is ready to embrace,
with little caution, and with less examination, every
plausible error which strikes his fancy ; and who will
not take the trouble diligently and laboriously to
compare with the word of God, every doctrine which
he dispenses, both in public and private ; — such a
man gives too much evidence, that he has but little
regard for the truth ; little reverence for its Author ;
little sense, either of the difficulty or the importance
of finding the truth ; and little enlightened concern
for the souls of men. I believe it will be found, uni-
versally true, that, in proportion as Ministers, possess
the spirit of their Master, they will be conscientious
and careful in studying the doctrines which they
preach ; slow, cautious and prayerful in embracing
new opinions ; and deeply solicitous that they preach
" the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth," in all their ministrations.

.3. If the foregoing principles be well founded, then
we ought to regard with the most serious apprehension
any material departure from Orthodoxy, especially
among the Teachers and Rulers of the Church. If I
mistake not, there are those, even among the Ortho-
dox themselves, who estimate the mischief and danger
of false doctrine as comparatively small ; and, as to
the mass of society, they are ready to ridicule the
idea of any serious practical evil as likely to flow from
doctrinal error. These are matters, as multitudes
believe, about which bigoted theologians may be
expected to dispute, and to waste their time and
strength; but in which the great interests of the
community at large, and even of the Church, are but
little involved. There can scarcely be a greater

42

delusion. Not only does the Bible represent all de-
partures from the faith, as evil, and, if they be essen-
tial, as destructive of Christian character and hope ;
but all ecclesiastical history serves at once to illustrate
and confirm the melancholy representation. When
the leaders of the Church, in the second and third
centuries, began to swerve from the simple and ge-
nuine doctrines of the Gospel, vital piety, and holy
living began to decline in the same proportion. In
the fifth century, when, by means of the labours of
Augustine, and his faithful coadjutors, the eyes of
thousands were opened to see the error of Pelagian
and Semi-pelagian opinions, and Orthodoxy sensibly
revived, there was an immediate revival of vital piety,
the effects of which were precious and lasting. In
several subsequent periods ; in the days of Godes-
chalcus ; of Claudius of Turin ; of the Waldenses ;
of Wickliffe ; and of Huss and Jerome, it was evident
that practical godliness revived or declined, just as
sound or erroneous doctrines bore sway. When
Gospel truth was brought forth, in its genuine lustre,
by the Reformers, pure and undefiled religion sprung
forth, as it were by enchantment, in the same pro-
portion. And, on the contrary, when, toward the
close of the sixteenth century, and during the seven-
teenth, orthodoxy declined in all the Protestant
churches, and in some of them to a deplorable de-
gree ; there was a corresponding depression, in every
one of them, of zeal, and of all the great interests of
practical religion. Of these churches, the history of
few is more melancholy than those of France. For
more than three quarters of a century after their first
organization, they were among the most pure and
flourishing in Reformed Christendom. And as long

43

as their pious Pastors continued to be sound in doc-
trine, faithful in adhering to their excellent Confession
of Faith, indefatigable in catechising their children
and youth, and in the private as well as the public
instruction of all classes of their people ; — notwith-
standing all the rigours and frowns of a hostile go-
vernment, they prospered, multiplied, and were com-
paratively happy. But no sooner did orthodoxy
decline in those churches ; no sooner did Cameron,
Amyraut, and other divines of distinction and in-
fluence, begin to verge towards Semi-pelagian opi-
nions, than an immediate and sensible decay ensued
in piety, in zeal, and in pure morals. Indeed it seem-
ed as if, from the time that the infection of these errors
became in any considerable degree extended, their
peace was interrupted ; their unity broken ; their
standing with the government, in the righteous judg-
ment of God, less comfortable ; until, on their whole
state was written — " Ichabod, the glory is departed !"
And, to this day, their glory has never been restored.
As they went on to sink lower and lower in error, they
became also more and more depressed in every thing
that constitutes the true excellence and happiness of
a church. No less instructive, as to this point, is the
history of the established Church of England. The
decline and the revival of pure, evangelical doctrine,
in that Church, have invariably marked a correspond-
ing decline and revival of true, practical religion.
Nor can it be doubted that, in all cases whatsoever,
the effect of error must be injurious, and the influence
of truth healthful and happy, just so far as they re-
spectively prevail. The innocence of error, — nay
the entire innocence of any error, — is one of the
dreams of infidelity. Little does the ingenious and

44

self-contident advocate of false doctrine think of the
mischief he is doing. He may be greatly elated with
his philosophical refinements, and plausible novelties.
But so far as his speculations affect or approach the
fundamental principles of the Gospel, and gain pre-
valence among the people, " they will eat as doth a
canker ;" they will eat out piety, peace, brotherly
love, revivals of religion, holy living, social order and
happiness, and every thing which ought to be dear to
the friend either of God or man. The Lord preserve
his Church from such miserable speculations, under
the name of improvements in theology !

4. From what has been said, we may see, that all
private members of the Church, as well as her minis-
ters, ought to consider themselves as having a share,
and a very important share, in the duty of holding fast
the " faithful word." It is observable that on all
classes of persons connected with the Church of
Crete, where Titus, the person addressed, now was ;
— on the old, and the young ; on both sexes ; and on
persons in office and out of it, the Apostle enjoins the
duty more particularly inculcated in our text upon
Ministers. Read the whole Epistle, and especially
the chapters immediately containing, and immediately
following our text ; and you will perceive that the
inspired writer exempts none from the solemn
charge. He exhorts aged men, and aged women
likewise ; young men, and young women, and even
servants — in various forms of expression, indeed, but
in the same spirit — to see not only that they were
themselves " sound in the faith ;" but also that they
all watched over one another ; that each and every
one might be "in doctrine uncorrupt," and "adorn
the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things.'1

45

Do you ask, my friends, in what manner i/ow, who
are not ministers of the Gospel, can promote the
prevalence of Gospel truth ? I answer, in the first
place, — Never oppose it. Never give countenance,
directly or indirectly, to the advocates or the acts of
error. Never account your Minister "your enemy,
because he tells you the truth." On the contrary,
encourage and support him in all his scriptural fide-
lity ; and never ask him to prophesy " smoother
things" than the Bible prophesies. But, more than
this ; take care to store your own minds with sound,
discriminating, digested, religious knowledge. " Let
the word of God dwell in you richly, in all wisdom,
and spiritual understanding." Store the minds of
your children, also, your servants, and all committed
to your care, with the same heavenly treasure. Teach
them, as early as possible, to commit to memory
portions of the Holy Scriptures, and the excellent
Catechisms of our Church. Talk to them of the
doctrines as well as the duties of Religion, " when
you sit in your houses, and when you walk by the
way ; when you lie down, and when you rise up."
Put them on their guard continually against the in-
sinuations of error, as well as against the pollutions
of practical wickedness. In a word, endeavour, from
the earliest dawn of reason, until they cease to be
under your care, to lodge in their minds as large an
amount of rich, assorted Gospel truth, as you can
induce them to receive. And, finally, make the same
efforts, as you may have opportunity, among your
neighbours, young and old. Thus may every private
christian, every day and hour that he lives, if he have
himself sufficient religious knowledge, and, above all,
if he have a heart for the purpose, scatter blessings

46

around him ; blessings to his family ; to the Church
of God ; to the whole community : — blessings which
will not "perish in the using," but transmit their
hallowed influence far and wide ; benefit, it may be,
thousands of precious immortals ; and stretch into a
boundless eternity.

5. This subject suggests many considerations worthy
of being deeply pondered by Him, who is about to be
constituted the Pastor of this Church. Beloved, and
highly respected Brother in Christ, this is a solemn
day for you ! You have consented to come hither, to
stand as a Watchman on this part of the " wall of
Zion ;" to guard your Master's honour ; to contend
for his truth ; to plead his cause against " gainsayers ;"
to take your station in the " front of the battle ;" to
wield the " sword of the Spirit" daily and hourly ;
and to cheer and help on, in all its departments and
interests, that great cause for which the Saviour
laid down his life ; which the world is every where
opposing ; and which can be carried on only by fight-
ing for every inch of ground. To aid in bearing for-
ward this cause, in this part of the Church, you stand
here to pledge yourself to-day. Solemn pledge !
Momentous enterprise ! You are not so inexperienced
in this warfare, as to dream of victory without hard
fighting. The servant is not greater than his Master,
nor the disciple above his Lord. The best wish I
can form for you, then, my Friend, my Brother, at
this interesting moment, is, that you may come girded
with the genuine spirit of a " good soldier of Jesus
Christ." And what is the spirit of a soldier ? In
this, as in every other warfare, it is a spirit of un-
daunted courage ; of boundless confidence in you t

47

Leader ; of implicit obedience to his orders ; of pru-
dence, foresight, perseverance, and a readiness to
lay down even your life in his service. Cherish this
spirit, and act upon it, and all will be well. The
result will be blessed to yourself, blessed to this Con-
gregation, and blessed to the Redeemer's kingdom in
our land. We cordially welcome your entrance into
our Body; and while we offer you our fraternal
salutations, our hopes and our prayers ascend, that
the solemn transaction of this hour, may long be
matter of joy, not only to yourself, but to all of us
who stand here before the Lord !

6. Finally ; the subject on which we have been
meditating, involves many considerations, which de-
serve to be well weighed by the members of this Church
and Society, on the present occasion. It teaches us,
that " sound doctrine" is in order to godliness ; that
cold, heartless orthodoxy alone, can avail us nothing,
but to aggravate our condemnation ; and, of course,
that it becomes every gospel hearer to look well to
the manner in which he receives the precious truth
of God. My respected and beloved Friends of this
Congregation, you have long enjoyed the privilege of
sound instruction in divine things. For the labours
of that able, faithful, and beloved Man, who was
instrumental in forming this Church, and who so long
ministered to you in holy things,* you have a solemn

* It may not be improper to mention, for the sake of readers beyond the
bounds of the Presbyterian Church, if the eye of any such should light on
this page— that the beloved and lamented Man here alluded to is the late
Reverend John Chester, D. D. who was for many years the Pastor of the
Congregation here addressed ; and the praise of whose talents, piety, pastoral
fidelity, public spirit, and peculiarly polished, pleasant and attractive man-
ners, is in all the Churches.

48

account to give. We are all witnesses with what
force, and tenderness, and fidelity he instructed, and
warned you, from the Pulpit, and by Letter, as well
as from house to house. And now, before your ac-
count with Him is finally closed at the bar of God,
where you have yet to meet him, You are about to
receive another Pastor. We congratulate you on
your choice and prospects. But while you rejoice in
them, " rejoice with trembling." Tremble, lest some
of you be found to be " hearers of the word only, and
not doers, deceiving your own souls." Truly, my
Friends, it is a solemn thing for a people to have
Teacher after Teacher, and warning after warning,
in sacred things. If they profit not in a saving manner
by them, they are only preparing for a more aggra-
vated condemnation. You may love your Minister ;
you may admire his preaching ; you may hang upon
his lips with delight, from sabbath to sabbath ; you
may become Biblical critics, and even sticklers for
Orthodoxy, under his ministrations ; and yet, after
all, may " know nothing," on the subject of religion,
" as you ought to know." After all, you may have
none of that spiritual knowledge of God, of your-
selves, and of the Saviour, which is "life eternal."
While, therefore, I exhort you, my dear hearers, to
seek sound doctrinal know ledge, with unceasing dili-
gence, I charge you, in the name of Him, whose I
am, and whom I serve, not to rest satisfied with mere
speculation. You must " know the truth" in the
love and power of it, or "it had been better for you
that you had never been born." If you have never
yet bowed, then, to the power of the Gospel, as a
practical system, bow to it now. Not to-morrow, for

49

you know not that to-morrow will ever be yours.
Now repent and believe the Gospel. Now " yield
yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the
dead." " Now is the accepted time, behold, now is
the day of salvation." " To-day, while it is called
to-day, harden not your hearts." Grace be with
you all ! Amen !