in the first principles of the oracles of God. There is therefore a necessity of having some standard more particular and definite than the general standard of the scriptures, if we wish to ascertain whether a man really believes the doctrines of grace, which are the distinguishing principles of Christianity. And if such a standard be proper and necessary, it is as easy to form it, as to distinguish and define the nature and essence of the gospel. For if the gospel be plain and easy to understand, then it is easy to distingnish and collect the first principles of it, and to throw them into the form of a creed, or confession of faith. Nor do any at this day, if I conjecture right, object against creeds because they do not understand them, but because they do. And, after the first principles of the gospel are thus thrown into the form of a creed, a man may solemnly subscribe them as articles which he now believes, and which he always will believe. For the doctrines of grace are not mere opinions, which a man may change every day in the year, but real, essential, important truths, which he may know to be truths, and which he is obliged always to believe and profess, at the risk of his life. There is a wide difference between essential and non-essential truths, or between bare opinions and infallible doctrines. The primitive martyrs understood this distinction, and accordingly gave up their lives, rather than give up the essential doctrines of the gospel. Paul likewise understood this distinction, and therefore kept the faith, at the expense of his life. And upon the ground of this distinction, the inspired writers exhort christians to maintain a firm and unshaken adherence to the doctrines according to godliness. The wise man bids us "buy the truth, and sell it not." Paul forbids the Ephesians to be "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine." He tells the Colossians that they would render themselves acceptable to God, if they continued in the faith grounded and settled, and were not moved away from the hope of the gospel. And again he says, " As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith." In his second epistle to the Thessalonians, after describing the Man of sin, who should bring in strong delusions to the destruction of those who should believe them, he says, "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth; whereunto he called you by our gospel;" "Therefore brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, by word, or our epistle." In one of his directions to Timothy, he says, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them." And in another, he says, "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou

hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." Now if the scripture thus binds us to be rooted, grounded, settled, stablished in the faith, then we may bind ourselves to hold fast the form of sound words, and to be steadfast and unmovable in the doctrines of Christ. For, whatever God may bind us to do, we may bind ourselves to do. Christians in general, therefore, and Christian ministers in particular, may, whenever there is a proper occasion for it, bind themselves to be found in the faith, by owning and subscribing a creed, or confession of faith. There is the same safety and consistency in owning and subscribing an orthodox creed, as in owning and subscribing the Bible itself. For we may as certainly know whether the principles which lie in a creed be true, as whether the principles which lie in the Bible be true. And it is as warrantable to profess our belief of certain truths which lie in a creed, as to profess our belief of certain truths which lie in the Bible. And this has always been the general opinion of the church, from the first ages of Christianity down to the present day.* Nor do I see how a particular church can now be properly formed, without adopting some creed or confession of faith, as the bond of their union in the faith and practice of the gospel. At least, I cannot see how a church which has no such bond of union, can consistently refuse or exclude any from their communion who profess to believe the Bible, though they deny all the essential doctrines of the Christian religion.

8. If the gospel is a scheme of religion composed of the doctrines of grace, then it is proper and necessary, that ministers should examine those whom they approbate to preach the gospel, respecting their belief of the fundamental principles of Christianity. Ministers are set for the defence of the gospel; and, in order to discharge this duty, they ought, as far as possible, to keep out of the ministry all such as would pervert the gospel of Christ. The right of ordaining others to preach the gospel gives them a right of inquiring into their religious sentiments. And this right involves an obligation to use all proper means of knowing whether they are properly established in the great and fundamental doctrines of the gospel. Nor can they be faithful to Christ, nor to themselves, nor to candidates, nor to the souls of men, if, through fear, or favor, or negligence, they introduce those into the ministry who are disposed to wrest the scriptures to their own and others' destruction. To guard them against this, the apostle charges them to "lay hands suddenly on no man," and to commit the gospel to faithful men, who are able to teach others also. It is an alarming cir

* See Dunlap on Creeds.

cumstance, at this day, that ministers have become so remiss in examining candidates for the work of the ministry. They not only approbate them to preach, but even ordain them to the pastoral charge, without the least examination of their religious principles. And some boast of this conduct, under the noble idea of liberality of sentiment. It deserves, however, serious consideration, whether it will appear in this light in the view of Him who hath set them for the defence of the gospel.

9. If the gospel is a scheme of religion composed of the doctrines of grace, then, if ministers neglect to preach the doctrines of grace, they neglect to preach the gospel. We may preach many real and important truths, while we neglect to preach the doctrines of grace. But while we neglect to preach these, our sermons, however elegantly composed and gracefully delivered, are no better than the empty declamations of heathen moralists. Socrates taught the existence of the Deity, the immortality of the soul, and its happy or miserable state after death. Cicero beautifully described and inculcated justice, veracity, temperance, and all the moral and social virtues. Seneca read sol

emn lectures upon the vanity of the world, the deformity of vice, and the wisdom and importance of improving time, and preparing for eternity. If we preach the same doctrines and duties upon the same natural principles, we deserve the name. of heathen, rather than Christian preachers.

But this is not the worst; for, while we confine our preaching to these duties and doctrines of natural religion, we betray the cause of Christianity, and rob our people of the knowledge of those doctrines of grace which alone are able to make them wise unto salvation. If we neglect therefore to preach the doctrines of grace, we are unspeakably worse than no preachers at all. Our people had much better be left alone, with the Bible in their hands: peradventure they may read, understand, believe, and be saved. But if we preach, every Sabbath, something directly contrary to the genius and spirit of the gospel, we take the most effectual method to deceive and ruin their souls for ever. Error, according to the inspired writers, has as great a tendency to destroy, as truth has to save the souls of men. Christ compares error to leaven, and Paul compares it to a canker, or gangrene. Error is the same to the soul, that poison is to the body. As a small degree of poison will injure the body, so a small degree of error will injure the soul. And as a large degree of poison will destroy the body, so a large degree of error will destroy the soul. It is as dangerous and fatal, therefore, to preach a system of error to our people, as to inculcate a course of practical vice and immorality; for either will directly tend to destroy both their souls and ours for ever.

Hence, says our Lord, "If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."

10. If the gospel is a scheme of religion composed of the doctrines of grace, then none who are friendly to grace, can be really unfriendly to the doctrines of grace. Some who profess to be very friendly to grace, appear open and bitter enemies to the doctrines of grace. But how is this consistent? If they are really pleased with grace, why should they not be as much pleased with the doctrines of grace. To be pleased with grace, is to be pleased with the character of God in damning sinners for the least violation of his holy and righteous law. Whoever can see a beauty in this part of the divine character, can see a beauty in divine grace. And whoever can see a beauty in divine grace, can see a beauty in the doctrines of grace. For all the doctrines of grace grow out of, or unite with this single truth, that God is amiable and glorious in the displays of his punitive justice. How then can those who love this divine truth, hate and oppose the doctrine of election, the doctrine of divine sovereignty, the doctrine of unconditional submission, the doctrine of justification by faith alone, or any other of the doctrines of grace? Is there any thing more displeasing in these doctrines, than in the doctrine of eternal destruction for the least sin? Or if there be any grace in God's saving sinners from complete and endless ruin, is there not as much grace in those doctrines which immediately flow from this source? None therefore who really love the grace of God in the salvation of sinners, can understandingly hate and oppose the doctrines of grace. Here, however, I beg leave to borrow the words of a late pious and elegant writer, who has set this subject in a clear and striking light. "Believe me, my dear friend, salvation, both in its root and all its branches, is entirely of grace; or else believe me, for the many cogent testimonies of scripture, which most circumstantially ascertain this great truth. Election is of grace; Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children,' not on account of human worthiness, but according to the good pleasure of his will.' Equally gratuitous is our effectual vocation; 'God hath called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his purpose and grace.' Faith is owing to the same cause; 'By grace are ye saved through faith.' From hence springs justification; 'Being justified freely by his grace.' This is the origin of regeneration; 'Of his own will begat he us, by the word of truth.' The consummation of bliss flows from the same all supplying cause; The gift of God is eternal life.' It is in every respect a gift; the superstructure is reared by the hand of grace; and when the top stone is brought forth, when our felicity is com

pleted in the kingdom of heaven, the everlasting acclamation will be, Grace, grace, unto it.' This is that glorious gospel, which human learning could never have discovered; which carnal reason cannot understand; which the wisdom of this world accounteth foolishness; which the envy of the devil, and the pride of man will always oppose."

You will now permit me, my hearers, to bring this subject home to our own bosoms, and ask this serious question: Do we oppose the gospel?

In particular, Do we who profess to be ministers of the gospel, oppose it? This is possible. For we are by nature children of wrath, even as others. We have naturally à carnal mind, which is enmity against God, not subject to his law, neither indeed can be. We naturally hate the doctrines of grace, as much as other men. But if we neglect to preach these doctrines because we hate them, or if we neglect to preach them because others hate them, or if we preach them while our own hearts rise against them, how unspeakably guilty are we in the sight of our divine Master! Let us then settle this question, which it concerns us more than any other in the world to settle: Do we love that glorious gospel which we are solemnly bound to study every day, and to preach every Sabbath, with supreme affection and delight?

Nor is this question uninteresting to him, who is this day to lay himself under the most solemn obligations "to testify the gospel of the grace of God." How much does it concern him to be established in the faith and in the love of the gospel! In this, his own soul and the souls of this people are deeply interested. Let him therefore be entreated to take heed unto himself, and unto his doctrines, and continue in them; that he may both save himself and them that hear him.

And may this church and congregation inquire, whether they are willing to receive the grace of God in truth. The man who is now to be set over them in the Lord, will, we trust, come to them in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of grace. We beseech them therefore not to receive the grace of God in vain. If he plainly and faithfully preaches the doctrines of grace, they will be a savor of life unto life, or a savor of death unto death to your souls. Take heed, therefore, how ye hear.

And let us all who are present on this solemn occasion, take heed, lest we reject the gospel of the grace of God. Our divine and gracious Redeemer hath forewarned both ministers and people of their imminent danger. "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner." "Whosoever shall fall upon that stone, shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."