SERMON XXI.

JOHN VII. 17.

IF ANY MAN WILL DO HIS WILL, HE SHALL KNOW OF THE DOCIT BE OF GOD, OR WHETHER I SPEAK OF

TRINE,

MYSELF.

WHETHER

AMID the great variety of existing opinions on the subject of religion in general and of Christianity in particular, this text often becomes the refuge of the weary and distracted mind; and it is also often held out as an encouragement to the youthful inquirer who is beginning to seek with anxiety for the truth as it is in Jesus. The Christian quotes this text against the infidel, when he is not willing directly to impeach his motives. The theological polemic quotes it against his adversary, when he is himself compelled, by stress of argument, to retreat from his positions, and shelter himself in the goodness of his heart, rather

than in the strength of his cause. The fanatic quotes it against the man whom he cannot make to feel as he does, and who, he is sure, therefore, will not think with him. And, lastly, the man of real candor quotes it, when, weary of the war of words, disgusted with the spirit of sectarianism and the obscurities of human systems, he seeks repose, for himself and his friends, in this merciful declaration, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."

The words were addressed by our Savior to those incredulous Jews who had heard his public teachings in Jerusalem, at the feast of tabernacles. We learn from the Evangelist, in this chapter, that there was, at this time, much dissension among the Jews respecting Jesus. Some said he was a good man; others said nay, and maintained that he seduced the people. For, adds the evangelist, no man, not even the friends of Jesus, openly professed his attachment to him, through fear of the Jews. Then Jesus went up to the temple and taught, that is, in the most public manner. The Jews, who heard him, were astonished at his preaching, and said, Whence hath this man any knowledge of the sacred writings, having never received the usual education? He has had no instruction in the science of the law, to which our doctors are brought up; or, as we should say, he has never received a professional education. The language of our English version, "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned," does not, in this place, give the meaning of the Jews. Their wonder was, that our Savior should assume the office of a public religious instructer, without having been brought up at the feet of some rabbi. Jesus replies to this objection: The doctrine, which I deliver, is not mine, but His who sent me. If any one will do the will of God, he will know whether this doctrine has God for its author, or whether I speak of myself, and merely on my own authority. He, who speaketh of himself, or on his own authority merely, consults his own glory; but he, who consults the honor of him who commissions him, is true; a teacher very far removed from any attempt at imposture.

Before we proceed to state and illustrate the doctrine of our text, we have two preliminary remarks to suggest.

In the first place, the text allows us to conclude that a man, without the knowledge of Christianity, or of any other revelation, may yet be disposed to do the will of God. It supposes that there may exist in the mind a predisposition to religious obedience, or, at least, a sincerity and ingenuousness of temper, which qualifies some minds better than others for instruction. The disposition, to which our Savior makes the promise, is that general disposition of religious obedience, which, certainly, is not entirely unknown under any dispensation; and which may accompany that knowledge of God, which we are commonly said to derive from the works of creation and the plain deductions of reason. The proffer of the gospel, therefore, presupposes a knowledge of some truths among mankind, and a certain moral character in individuals, either favorable or unfavorable to its reception. Christianity does not profess to give us our primary, much less our only, religious notions. Neither does it suppose every man to be utterly averse from all good, and inclined to all evil, and that con-` tinually, till he comes within its enlightening doctrine and sanctifying influences. It supposes some groundwork in human nature, on which the gospel is to build, some previous moral capacities in a man, as necessary to the operation of the gospel motives. It is intended, indeed, to regenerate the human heart; but it also supposes the heart to be already prepared to yield to its regenerating influence. In short, the language of the text implies that we must be inclined to do the will of God, before we can receive the doctrine of Jesus Christ as the truth of God. Of course, our disposition to do the will of God cannot depend exclusively on our faith in Christ.

Our second remark is, that the text gives to an honest

and serious mind the liberty of judging of the claims, and even of the doctrines, of Christ. That is, our Savior does not profess to bear down the judgments of men, as to the truth either of his pretensions or of his doctrines, by the mere force of his authority. He evidently supposes some previous knowledge of God's will, some original truths, either of reason or of revelation, with which the professed communication from God must not be inconsistent. The text, in fact, implies, that, in every case of revelation, we have some standard, more or less complete, by which we may judge whether the doctrine delivered, or the pretensions made, by any one who lays claim to divine authority, are to be admitted. Jesus himself submitted his pretensions to the scrutiny of his contemporaries, and, of course, to the scrutiny of all men of sober and candid minds. He authorizes the exercise of reason in the case of revelation; not, indeed, to determine whether there was a necessity for instruction by revelation, for of this God alone can be a competent judge; nor to say that the thing is altogether unnecessary and improbable, and, therefore, to refuse to listen to the teacher, or to examine his pretensions. This very reason requires us to listen, while it allows us to judge of the proofs of the revelation, and the conformity of its doctrines to what we before knew of God. It by no means allows us to reject any truths as coming from God, simply because they are new and unknown to us before, or because they are such as we did not discover or should not have expected; but still, these truths, however strange, or unexpected, or ungrateful, must be viewed in the best light we have; and the text supposes, that, if they are from God, they will certainly commend themselves to the acceptance of every mind that is disposed to do the will of

which,

God. It is possible, indeed, to suppose a case, however, is not likely to happen under the government of God, in which an honest inquirer may, at one and the same time, find the external proof of the teacher's authority irresistible, and the doctrines taught irreconcilable to the dictates of his best reason. In such a case the mind must remain in suspense, either suspecting that it has been deceived in its examination of the proofs, or that it does not thoroughly understand the doctrines. And just in this state of indecision, nothing is more consolatory to the honest, or more alarming to the disingenuous, than the words of our text.

We proceed now to the doctrine of the text. To every man, whether he believes Christianity or not, it is highly important. It includes two propositions :

That our religious conviction of the truth of Christianity very much depends on the moral state of our minds; — That a correct knowledge of the doctrines of this religion is promoted by the practice of its laws.

To some minds there is nothing more offensive than to hear it maintained, that their indecision or their unbelief, on the question of revelation, results from the nature of their habits of life, or the prevailing state of their affections. Now, on the other hand, the believer in the gospel does not think it any reproach to his understanding, when it is said, that his love of God and goodness has biased him to the reception of Christianity. This is an awkward, though an unavoidable, state of things; and yet it results from the very nature of the Christian religion as a moral system.

If Christianity offered men any temporal emoluments or advantages, if it held out any lure to the passions of the believer, we should be more cautious in using this language