out end, and therefore human learning ever has been, and ever will be floating and variable. But the system of the gospel is one, and cannot be varied. Moralists may at one time found their system, upon the fitness, and reason of things, or they may choose rather to rest it upon a conformity to truth. At another time they may begin with the principle of disinterested benevolence; or, perhaps, by just inverting their plan, may set out from the principle of self-love. At other times they may base their system upon the principle of internal beauty, of sympathy, propriety, taste, or upon one or a thousand other principles, for which perhaps they have yet got no name; and having confuted the principles of all, who have gone before them, they may, after all, be open to as easy a confutation. But in the gospel, as we have but one goal, so we have but one starting-place; even "Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." In human learning, there is still room for new inventions; much may be added, much may be altered; perhaps much may be taken away. But the gospel is a completed revelation of a finished work, and one only way of salvation, which we are bound. It is a Testament. It is a Covenant, of old, written by the finger of God, sealed with the blood of Jesus, and by his eternal Spirit, and, therefore, it can admit of no variation, addition, or new arrangement. This is the testimony, in his end of the book of Revelation, "unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book; If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things that are written in this book." (a) In the second place, has our church a public standard, a confession of Faith, a system of doctrines, which she holds to be the truths of God?-which she believes to be founded upon his everlasting word and gospel, and of which every one of us, as ministers of this church, have solemnly declared his faith in, and approbation of? It necessarily follows, that fidelity to the trust, reposed in us by the church; consistency with ourselves; and the dread of that God, whose truths we have solemnly professed them to be, require of us, that we uniformly preach the doctrines, and tenets of this confession. No evasions, no subterfuges whatever can possibly disengage us from this sacred obligation, so long as we allow ourselves to remain ministers of this church. The right of private judgment, the sacred freedom of conscience itself, is no plea here. The church lays no constraint upon any to become, or to con(a) Rev. xxii. 18, 19. 18-VOL. VI. tinue ministers, or probationers, in opposition to their private judgment and liberty of conscience. The church only requires, that before any can be received into her communion, they do declare that they believe, and engage to adhere to her confession. In this she affects no infallibility, nor exceeds the common rights and privileges of all mankind, of every society upon earth. The liberty of conscience, the right of private judgment is still reserved to all; because contrary to their conscience and private judgment, none need ever become ministers of the church and contrary to their consciences and private judgment none need ever remain ministers of the church. In the last place to the congregation present, O, how comfortable would it be for you, my dear brethren, hearers of this gospel, as well as for us its ministers, if every minister of Christ was enabled to say, with the good apostle, in the text, "For though I preach the gospel I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me, yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel." I have nothing to glory of. The words I speak are not mine. The work I do, is not mine. The success of the work, is not mine. The reward of the work, is not mine. Christ is the beginning. Christ is the end of my words and works; the Author of my success; the only Judge, and Rewarder. I have indeed nothing to glory of. Let Christ be all my glory, let him be all my praise. Happy that servant who finds such a blessed necessity constraining him to his Master's work. The sound of his Master's feet shall surely be heard behind him. While "some trust in chariots, and some in horses, he will" desire to "remember the name of the Lord his God" (a) alone. However others preach the gospel, he will only desire to preach it to the glory of Christ, saying with the apostle, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (b) May we preach, and may ye hear, so that Christ may be glorified in us both, and we may be one another's mutual "crown of rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming." (c) Amen. (a) Psal. xx. 7. (b) Gal. vi. 14. |