CHAPTER VI.

The connection of morality with the second part of the Apostles' Creed.

THE doctrines adverted to in the latter part of the preceding chapter, compose the religion of theists who believe in God, as creator and preserver, but who know him not, as the restorer of fallen man. They, however, who give their unfeigned attention to the first part of this creed, will never contentedly rest at the threshold of truth. After duly attending to the blessings of creation and preservation, they will readily perceive how destitute they are of that love, that gratitude, and that obedience, which are so justly due to the author of all their mercies. Hence, gradually discovering that, even with respect to their neighbour, they are void of that justice and charity which should be mutually exercised between man and man, they will humbly acknowledge their transgressions, and begin to apprehend those mysterious truths, by which the Christian religion is distinguished from deism.

In our ancient confessions of faith, no mention is made of the misery and depravity of man. For what need was there to make so melancholy a truth an article of faith, since it has been publicly demonstrated in every age and country, by the conduct of all classes of men ? To deny that indisputable evidences of this truth are every day to be met with, is to deny that there are in the world prisons, gibbets, soldiers, fields of blood, and beds of death.

If we give up the doctrine of the fall, and of consequence that of the restoration, we give the lie to the general experience of mankind, as well as to that of our own hearts; we shut our eyes against the light of conviction; we cast away in the midst of a labyrinth, the only clue that can guide us through its winding mazes. And after such an act of folly we shall, either with infidel philosophers, disdain to implore the assistance of the Supreme Being; or like the haughty Pharisee, we shall approach him with insolence.

If in direct opposition to the doctrine of our depravity, we affirm that "all things are good, and the human species as free from imperfection as the Almighty at first

intended," we then neglect the only probable means of overcoming sin, and obstinately endeavour to preclude all possibility of our restoration. Thus by persuading a loathsome leper, that his malady is both convenient and becoming, we teach him to despise the most efficacious remedies, and leave him a deluded prey to deformity and corruption. But if it be once admitted that we are immersed in sin, without the least possibility of restoring ourselves to a state of innocence; we have then some degree of that humility which disposed St. Paul to embrace a persecuted Saviour, and by which alone we can be prevailed upon to embrace the second part of this sacred creed.

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To reject that which respects, either the conception, the "birth, the sufferings, the death, the resurrection, or the ascension" of Jesus Christ, is to reject every thing that concerns this condescending Saviour; since it is one and the same gospel that instructs us in all these different doctrines. To renounce one of these doctrines, is to break the chain of evangelical truth, by destroying one of the links of which it is composed; it is ultimately to deny the authority of revelation, if not absolutely to overthrow that grand edifice, of which Jesus Christ "is the chief corner. stone." In a word, as the doctrine of our redemption by a crucified Saviour is rejected either wholly or in part, so we reject either" in part or altogether," the most constraining motives to repentance and gratitude, obedience and purity. An unholy course of conduct proceeds from two principal causes, pride and the rebellion of the senses:" from the former, arises the disorder of our irascible passions; and from the latter, proceed all our irregular desires. Now before these evils can be perfectly remedied, or the unholy become truly virtuous, it is necessary to eradicate pride from the heart, and to subdue the irregular appetites of our degenerate nature. This is undoubtedly the most difficult task to be accomplished in life; but what is impracticable to the incredulous deist, becomes actually possible to the sincere believer. By the example of his persecuted Master, he is animated to trample upon all the pride of life; and upon the cross of his dying Lord, he is crucified to the sensual delights of this present world. "Take my yoke upon you," says the blessed Jesus, and "learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart. Christ hath suffered for us," continued St. Peter, "leaving us

an example, that ye should follow his steps. Let the same mind be in you," adds St. Paul, "which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, voluntarily took upon him the form of a servant, and became obedient unto the death of the cross."

It is necessary to be well acquainted with the human heart, and to have accurately observed the influence that example has upon mankind, in order to understand the great advantage which Christians have over deists; even allowing the morality of both parties to be equally pure. What is there of which those persons are not capable, who follow the King of kings, encouraged by his example and supported by his power? Thus supported, no command will appear too strict to be obeyed, no burden too heavy to be sustained: but we may joyfully triumph, like the first imitators of Jesus, over that innate pride and those sensual desires, upon which the incredulous continually striking as upon dangerous rocks, made shipwreck of all their boasted morality.

The last article recounted in this part of our creed, must be supposed to have a prodigious influence upon the minds of men. Take away the doctrine of a judgment day, in which an infinitely holy and powerful God will render unto every man according to his works; you then take from the wicked those salutary fears which restrain them in the career of vice, and from the righteous those glorious hopes which are the strongest incentives to a life of godliness.

CHAPTER VII.

The connection of morality with the third part of the Apostles' Creed.

THE first article, in the third part of this ancient confession of faith, respects the confidence which every believer indulges in the Divine grace, or rather in that Holy Spirit which sanctifies the sinful and consoles the afflicted. If, by an obstinate incredulity, we reject this sacred Comforter; we refuse the wisdom and power which result from an intimate union with the Father of lights, and disclaim all fellowship with that Divine Mediator, whose humanity is far removed from the sight of men. As we could derive no possible advantage from a sun whose rays,

concentrated in himself, should neither visit our eyes with their cheering light, nor our bodies with their kindly heat; so if the Almighty neither illumines our minds by the Spirit of truth, nor animates our souls by the Spirit of charity, we may reasonably suppose him to have as little interest in the concerns of men as the statue of Olympian Jupiter.

The remainder of this creed respects the nature of the church and the privileges of its members.

To destroy the doctrines which relate to the holiness of those who truly appertain to the church of God, the universality of that church, and "the communion of those saints," of whom it is composed; this is to overthrow the barriers which form the pale of the church, confounding the holy with the profane, and the sincere with the hypocritical.

Take away the doctrine that respects the remission of sins, and you leave us in a state of the most cruel uncertainty. You take away from penitents the expectation that sustains them; and from believers the gratitude that engages them to love much, because much has been forgiven them. You destroy the most powerful motive we have to pardon the offences of our neighbour, and leave us in a state of solitude incompatible with that internal peace, which is the peculiar privilege of Christians.

Rob us of the doctrine of a future resurrection, and you leave us weak in times of danger, alarmed in times of sickness, and wholly in bondage to the fear of death.

But, while we remain in possession of this exhilarating truth, we can follow, without fear, the standard of the cross; the most cruel torments are rendered tolerable; and we can submit, without repining, to a temporary death, looking forward to a glorious resurrection and a happy immortality.

CHAPTER VIII.

Consequences of the foregoing observations.

ALL crimes are founded upon those errors which are. first embraced in theory, before they are adopted in practice. Overthrow these errors by opposing to them pure and incontrovertible doctrines, and you destroy sin in the

bud. On the other hand true virtue is produced by truth. Oppose a lie to this truth, and, if it be admitted, you destroy the seeds of virtue. So long as the first man had his heart penetrated with the certainty of this doctrine, "If I am ungrateful enough to disobey my Creator I shall die," so long he remained in a state of innocence. But to this doctrine the tempter opposed his false promises. "You shall not surely die," said he; on the contrary, "you shall become wise and happy as gods." No sooner were these delusive doctrines assented to on the part of Adam, but his understanding becoming necessarily clouded, his will was immediately beguiled: and thus, blindly following the temptation, he fell into an abyss of misery.

Doctrines, whether they be good or bad, still continue to have the same influence upon the conduct of men ; and to suppose the contrary is to suppose that light and darkness can ever cease to produce their ordinary effects. The following doctrine, "Out of the pale of the Romish church there is no salvation," has filled Europe with fires, scaffolds and massacres. Eradicate this doctrine from every prejudiced heart, and plant in its room the following scriptural truth, "God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him," and, in the place of streaming blood, we shall see streams of charity uninterruptedly flowing through every Christian kingdom.

The miser imagines that riches are the "sovereign good," and that the highest pleasure consists in counting over and over his splendid hoards. The debauched youth is confident that the sovereign good consists in sensual gratification, and the highest gratification in the enjoyment of a frail beauty destined to be the prey of worms. Destroy these groundless persuasions by solid doctrines : demonstrate to these infatuated creatures that God himself is the sovereign good, and that this good is offered to us in Jesus Christ; that the highest enjoyment consists in having the heart penetrated with divine love, and in looking forward with a lively hope of being one day eternally united to God: convince them of these momentous truths, and the charms by which they have been captivated so long will be immediately broken. Ah! how delightful is it to behold such sensual reasoners awaking from their deathful slumber, and crying out with St. Augustine: