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advice, which he perceived it to be his wisdom to follow.

It has been sometimes alleged against the principles. of the Independent mode of Church government, that they supply innumerable occasions for strife and division. I wish that an appeal to facts did not seem to furnish some ground for the objection. The fault, however, is not in the system, but in the spiritual imperfections of those who embrace it; and, probably, in the attempts of many to carry it to an extreme. The identifying principle of any system, whether civil or sacred, should, of course, be well defined, constantly recognized, and carried out into all its practical details; but it should not be pushed too far, or too violently, in what may be called the line of its own direction, and tendency: it is by a forgetfulness of this, that monarchy is sometimes urged on to tyranny, and democracy to anarchy. Amongst us, as you know, all the principles of Independency have been recognized; but they have not assumed the character, nor produced the confusion, of a turbulent republic. We have not converted our church meetings into seasons for debate, nor have we either encouraged or tolerated those who love to prate and to have the pre-eminence. You have never encroached upon my duty and prerogative, as your spiritual ruler; and I hope I have never attempted to lord it over God's heritage.. Our union, formed upon the principle of mutual choice, was founded upon

love, and has been supported by confidence: to this understanding of the nature of our relation, and of the duties it brings with it, we owe, under God, our undisturbed tranquillity.

In discharging the duties of my office as your minister, I have reserved to myself the irresponsible right,-irresponsible to all but to Christ,-of selecting my own subjects of instruction, and of adopting my own method of discussing them. Your edification has been my great object; and in the promotion of which, no topic has ever been withheld from my pulpit through a fear of offending, or a desire of pleasing, any man upon earth. You will readily believe me in affirming, that your pastor "knows no man after the flesh." Amidst all that variety of matter which is presented by the word of God, you have been much familiarized with those grand fundamental truths which constitute the leading features of the Christian economy-the divinity of Christ; the vicarious and sacrificial nature of his death; justification by faith in his righteousness; regeneration and sanctification by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Loose generalities, cautious reserve, and ambiguous statements, have not been characteristic of the sermons you have heard. The importance of right sentiments has been enforced, the form of sound words has been exhibited, and the faith once given to the saints has been earnestly contended for; yet not, it is to be

hoped, in such a way, as either to generate a spirit of controversy, or to extinguish the feelings of benevoDOCTRINES, my friends-doctrines are of

lence.

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immense consequence, they are the basis of all praetical religion; and the morality that is not connected with truth by faith, is not the morality of the New Testament. The theology of the word of God involves all the principles and motives of its morality. It is the very nature of Christian ethics, that they are so many emanations from Christian truths. Christ crucified, therefore, should be the great theme of every minister of religion: that latitudinarianism, and, alas! it is becoming but too fashionable in the present day, which would reduce all sentiments as to their importance, to a level, and which would banish all distinctive opinions from the pulpit, to make way for merë moral duties and social virtues, is the rankest and most mischievous infidelity. If THE TRUTH AS IT IS IN JESUS be withheld, there can be no Christianity: no, nothing but deism; and to this many of the liberals of the passing age would bring us ;-but it must not be.

Still, however, as the truth is a doctrine according to godliness, and as our Lord prayed that his disciples might be sanctified by the truth, Christian doctrines should always be preached in such a way as to produce and to support Christian morals. There is nothing in the Gospel of Christ purely speculative; nothing exclusively theoretical; nothing in the form of abstract

propositions, which, being received on the ground of their own evidence, have accomplished their end in being believed. The great apostasy of man consisted not merely in the rebellion of the mind against the truth of God, but of the heart against his holiness; and hence, the great purpose of redemption is to bring the whole soul under the dominion of holiness, by subjecting it to the influence of truth. The highest excellence is of a moral, not of an intellectual, kind; and the chief value of the latter, is its assistance in producing the former. The end of all God's dealings towards his creatures, so far as they are concerned, is their happiness happiness arises from holiness; and holiness is granted by the power of the Spirit, through the instrumentality of the truth. Delightful, indeed, it is to know that we possess the TRUTH; still, how much soever the truth is to be loved for its own sake, it is to be yet more highly valued as the means of sanctity.

The great end for which the doctrines of the Gospel are to be preached, is to restore to the soul of man the image of God which was lost by the fall; to bring about a conformity between the moral character of man and the moral character of God: but the highest end of doctrine, with some persons, is comfort: their religion is a state of luxurious and voluptuous ease; an evangelical reverie; a selfish thirsting after sparkling and effervescing draughts of consolation. They

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are a kind of spoiled children, for whom every thing is converted into a means of mere indulgence; but over whom no discipline is to be exercised, and by whom no self-denial is to be practised. The moral government of God seems to have terminated, as it respects them; all the distinctions between authoritative enforcement and gracious bestowment are lost the term duty is condemned, as unsuitable to the liberty of the children of God; the idea of obligation is slavery ; even sanctification is contemplated by them exclusively in the light of a privilege; and to enforce it as a duty, is to offend them. This just amounts to the idea that holiness is sought, not because they are obliged, but because they like it; or, in other words, they obey God, not because it is proper, but because it is their pleasure: thus inverting the true order of things; and instead of accounting it a privilege, because it is their duty, and they are enabled to perform it, accounting it a duty, because it is a privilege, and they are disposed to enjoy it. I am aware that "God is more abundantly willing that his people should have strong consolation," and that he has made ample provision for this purpose, in the great scheme of our redemption, and in the "exceeding great and precious promises" of his word. He has commanded as well as invited us" to rejoice in the Lord, and to rejoice always." And if any do not rejoice, it is either because they do not believe the Gospel, or because

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