ページの画像
PDF
ePub

gion may coincide with thofe Chriftian forms, and the cafe may be otherwise with the Mahometan form. As to vice, a man may make the practice of it eafy to himself, under all external forms of religion. Thus, under the Several forms called Chriftian, it is but for a man to apply to himself the words of St. John, and the practice of vice is made easy to him. 1 John ii. 1, 2. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye fin not. And if any man fin, we (Christians) have an advocate with the father, Jefus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our fins; and not for ours only, but also for the fins of the whole world. These words of St. John may not unnaturally be paraphrafed thus. My little children, fin, or difobedience to God's laws, is difreputable and juftly blameable, I, therefore, write these things unto you, that ye fin not; nevertheless, if any of you fin, let him not be troubled, let him not be afflicted; for (or becaufe) we Christians have an advocate with the father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, and he is the propitiation, attonement, and fatisfaction for our fins. This, then, may be supposed to bespeak fafety, to befpeak comfort, to a wicked Christian; that is, to a wicked man, who

D 3

who is a believer in Jefus Chrift, and profeffes difcipleship to him; whatever St. John, or any other writer of the new teftament, in oppofition to this, may elfewhere have faid, or intimated to the contrary. For if Jefus Chrift is a propitiation, attonement, and fatisfaction for all the fins of Chriftians, then the moft wicked Chriftian muft needs be in a safe and comfortable state; because he may fairly prefume, that God will not be fo unreasonable, so unjust, as to take double fatisfaction for the fame offences. And this may also seem to befpeak safety to all finners, as well Pagans and Infidels as Chrif tians, as well impenitent as penitent offenders; because Chrift is not only an advocate with the father, in the behalf of, and is a propitiation, attonement, and fatisfaction for, the fins of all penitent believers or Chriftians, but he is alfo, (according to St. John) fuch an advocate for all finners, and fuch a propitiation, attonement, and fatisfaction for all fins, even the fins of the whole world. Tho' poffibly, in this, St. John may feem to be a little bordering upon heterodoxy. But to return.

IF it should be faid, that Chrift did not intend his difciples fhould rigorously comply with fuch precepts as those above mentioned,

but

his

but left them to put fuch a sense upon words,as their reasoning faculties fhould point out; then the queftions are, how do we know this to be the cafe? Or how does this appear? feeing those precepts themfelves do not admit it. Befides, fuch a liberty as this is not allowed; the Bible is declared to be the revealed will and word of God, and all that we are permitted to do, with regard to it, is only to examine the evidence by which it's divine Character is fupported; and when we are satisfied of that, we are not to enquire into the truth of it's doctrines, nor into the propriety of it's laws; but humbly to believe the former, and obey the latter; every thing, beyond this, being declared to be great prefumption, and prying into fecret things which belong only to God; fo that what is urged, above, is only to ferve a turn, and will be recalled at pleasure. If, indeed, mankind are to be under no other guidance than the original and primary law of nature, and if Chrift's business with men, was only like that of Noah, to be a preacher of righteousness and a kind monitor to them, by pointing out, and preffing obedience to the aforefaid law, then all his precepts must be brought to the forementioned test, and

D 4

be

be tried by the standard of human reason, as it is called but then, this totally finks Christ's authority, as a law-giver, and makes Christianity and Deism to be the very famė thing, which is not admitted, or, if it be, it is only occafionally to get clear of a prefent difficulty, and will be difcarded again, as foon as that turn is ferved. And if Chrift is to be confidered as a law-giver, whofe authority is to be the ground and measure of obedience, which I apprehend to be currant Orthodoxy; then, in all laws, grounded on mere authority, the express letter of the law is the law, there being no other way to come at the will and intention of the Legislator, than in, and through, thofe very words by which that law is expreffed. I fay, in all fuch cases, the express letter of the law is the law, and not any fenfe that may be put upon it by the subject, or those who are to obey it, how reafonable foever fuch impofed fense may appear to be; because, to interpret any law by reason, in oppofition to it's moft obvious fenfe, is to make reason the ground of that law, and of the obedience that is paid to it, which finks the authority of the law-giver, and reduces obedience to bare or dry morality, as it is called. Now, if

this be the cafe, viz. that Chrift is to be confidered as a Legislator, whofe authority is to be the ground of obedience, then, as the express letter of his laws are his laws, and not any impofed fenfe which may be put upon them; fo, by a juft confequence, all fwearing, as well religious as prophane, and all refiftance of evil, whether the injury be great or fmall, are manifeft violations of the laws of Chrift. But then, this is not only contrary to the currant practice, but also against the currant and generally received opinions of Chriftians, and this must needs be greatly perplexing to an attentive mind.

PERHAPS it may be faid, that we are happily provided with a body of Clergy, men of learning and penetration, of diligence and industry in their callings, whofe proper bufinefs it is, and who have been trained up, and set apart for that purpose, viz. to guide men aright into the paths of truth, righteousness and peace; and that if we attend upon their miniftry, and rely upon them, we may be fure not to mifcarry. That we have a body of Clergy is true, but then it is equally as true, that all bodies of Clergy endeavour to fupport and maintain that particular system of religion, that religious

« 前へ次へ »