2. To be instrumental in carry-racteristic principles are confused ing on the work.

salem, instructed by Philip the evangelist, wished to be baptized into the faith of Christ, Philip said to him, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.' The noble convert replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God:" upon which he was admitted to the sacred rite as a Christian. Faith in Christ, as the Son of God, is therefore an essential preliminary to a christian profession; without which, even the assumption of the christian name is an unmeaning form, or a palpable deception.

cept it be absolute despair, more entitled to commiseration, than the state of a serious and upright inquirer, embarrassed amidst the essentials of christian truth; when, struggling with the perplexities of his own judgment, and involved in a labyrinth of error and doubt, he has neither skill sufficient to trace its windings, nor energy enough to burst the barrier by which those windings are inclosed. Yet from this state there is no preservative, unless we repose in a blind credulity without evidence, which would be contemptible; or sink into moral apathy, treating the whole with It is a precept of apostolical indifference; which would be set- authority and universal application, ting bounds to the progress of the" that we should be ready always soul, and sealing its perdition with to give an answer to every man our own signet: or else endeavour, that asketh us a reason for the hope by a serious and prayerful examin- that is in us, with meekness and ation of holy writ, to find out the with fear." But how can this be knowledge of the Lord, that the reduced to practice, unless our errors of imagination may be de- judgments are properly informed tected, and our faith established on respecting the objects and grounds the combined and infallible testi- of faith, and the connexion which mony of the prophets and apostles. subsists between the glory of Christ This alone is consistent with sound in his mediatorial engagements, wisdom, or likely to insure rational and the final redemption of his repose and moral improvement. people? But the obvious propriety of this sentiment is overlooked by many, who not only assume the christian name as a matter of course, but profess a decided regard for the purity of the Gospel. Amidst flaming zeal and high pretensions, not a few are incompetent to answer the question, "What think ye of Christ?" or to give any intelligible account of his person and offices, neither knowing why nor what they believe concerning him. But a regard for ourselves and for the interests of Christianity, should induce all who profess and call themselves Christians to allow no efforts to remain untried, for the removal of ignorance so dishonorable and injurious to the individual, and to the church at large. Instead of being

If, moreover, we consider the import of a christian profession, as including faith in Christ and a practical submission to his authority, it will appear highly necessary that our ideas of the Gospel should correspond with the truth itself, and be founded on clear and satisfactory evidence.

Whatever be the importance at tached by the sacred writers to faith in Christ as the term of salvation, it must have a direct bearing upon this argument. For if the nice distinctions of controverted theology must be excepted, as not essential to saving faith, it at least requires the perception and acknowledgment of fundamental principles. When the nobleman of Ethiopia, on his return from Jeru

indifferent whether we think at all | other name, would be the height of of Christ, or whether our views be weakness and temerity, from which correct or erroneous, we should nothing could be anticipated but rather deem it a point of universal failure and disgrace. With what importance, recommended by the propriety and effect might an unbemost forcible reasons, that we liever in such a case retort upon should both frequently think of the christian advocate, and urge the Son of God, and in thinking of him to digest the crudities of his him, be careful that our thoughts own faith, before he offered them be clear in themselves, and scrip- to the hungry mind as divine truths; tural in their authority. and to settle the doubts that perBut whatever be the importance plexed his own judgment, before of Christian knowledge in the case he attempted to obviate those of ordinary believers, that import- which embarrassed his neighbours! ance is greatly enhanced in refer- It might indeed be possible for a ence to christian ministers, who person exceedingly deficient in are set for the defence of the Gos-christian knowledge, to succeed in pel, and the advancement of christian holiness.

Whether persons who sustain the ministerial character are employed in evangelizing the heathen, in refuting the subtleties of infidelity, or in performing the ordinary duties of the pastoral office, scriptural views of Christ, in all his personal and relative perfections, are indispensably requisite to the comfort of their own minds, to the faithful discharge of their engagemente, and to the permanent utility of their exertions. With what propriety could any man, whatever might be his piety or his zeal, assume the character of a christian missionary to the heathen, if he were incompetent to give them a specific idea of the person of Christ, or to point out his different offices and relations in the christian economy? And to attempt the conversion of an unbeliever, whether he were a disciple of Mahomet, an adherent of the Jewish law, or an advocate for the simple theism of nature, while the persons making that attempt were undetermined whether they should represent the Author of Christianity as a mere man, or an angel, or a divine person manifest in human flesh, or the Eternal Father himself under an

convincing an unbeliever that the historical evidences of christianity are entitled to credit, and that its records betoken certain preternatural interpositions on behalf of man; but unless he succeeded likewise in leading his convert, by a perception of its discoveries, and a development of its peculiar doctrines, to form a distinct and scriptural idea of the real nature of Christianity as a remedial system, it would contribute little to the honour and influence of the christian church, but would only multiply its ranks, without increasing their strength or their usefulness. Neither would such a conversion establish on a firmer basis the virtue and happiness of the convert himself, but would merely substitute one set of floating incongruities for another, and exchange the scepticism of reason for the painful uncertainties of a dubious faith.

In the ordinary discharge of the pastoral functions also, a christian minister, whose views of Christ were erroneous or unsettled, would, on the same principle, find himself movihg in circumstances by no means enviable or beneficial. If he were confirmed in error, and under the name and apparent sanction of Christianity, propa

gated opinions subversive of its of retracting opinions which he had essential truths, he would be throw-persuaded others to believe, and

be constrained to employ his ingenuity and influence to overturn an edifice of delusion, which he had before laboured with sincere, but mistaken energy, to rear. And though, like the apostle of the Gentiles, "he may obtain mercy because he did it ignorantly in unbelief," yet the vibrations of it will long exist in his remembrance, as a crisis in his moral history, the most trying era of his being.

ing into the scale of antichrist the weight of his talents and character, increased, perhaps, not a little, by the influence of ministerial piety and friendship. He would be dispensing to the people of his charge, from Sabbath to Sabbath, and from year to year, the water of life, deeply tinctured with a poisonous infusion; which, like a dangerous epidemic, may quickly diffuse it self through the circle of his connections, and produce in the indivi- From a state of vacillation so dual and community consequences deplorable, and the endurance of a remote or immediate, from which burden so awful in its nature, and the most resolute might shrink with so difficult to be borne, wisdom dismay. But if, on the contrary, would advise a man to find relief a confusion of ideas held him in in retirement and silence, till his suspence between different sys-doubts and perplexities have given tems, and he was thence incompe- place to a settled confidence, and tent to decide which opinion out of the obscurity that produced them many ought to be exhibited to his has been dissipated by the light of people as the true doctrine, how truth. But if motives of greater could he inform the ignorant, an- force should forbid a person thus swer the inquiring, console the circumstanced to divest himself of penitent, direct the believing, or the ministerial character, and inanimate the languid and desponding in the service of their ascended Lord? Such a minister, in the composition and delivery of the greater part of his instructions, if he were sensible of his responsibility, must certainly endure a series of the most painful disquietudes, which none but those who have felt them can duly appreciate or conceive. He must either divest the Gospel of its distinguishing peculiarities, both as to principle and dress, reducing it to a mere system of ethics; or, for the sake of retaining some tincture of evangelical sentiment, must sacrifice his honesty to effect, and exhibit to his hearers a medley of theological speculations similar to the chaos of his own mind. And should his inquiries, after some years of suspense, happily terminate in a favourable result, he must undergo the humiliating task

duce him to prosecute his instruc tions in the midst of theological embarrassments, the anguish of his own mind, independently of the consequences resulting from his scepticism, must sufficiently punish his temerity, and should spare him the reproaches of men happily unacquainted with such inquietudes, as well as the censures of individuals who have passed through the same ordeal, or been drawn, by his conjectures perhaps, into the same uncertainty. The christian who imbibes the spirit, and copies the example of his Lord and Saviour, in cases of this description, how deeply soever he may deplore their existence, will never indulge a censorious disposition, nor use the language of unqualified reproach. He will rather imitate his wisdom and benignity, which, instead of excluding Peter from the

think it right to merge the peculiarities of the Gospel in subjects respecting which all are agreed, as though Christianity could accommodate itself to every_man's predilections and taste. The candour

apostleship for the denial of his Lord, did not even upbraid him for his timidity, but recalled his vows to remembrance, and subdued him into tears by a look of love, that he might strengthen the brethren by his recovery, and feed with that interferes with honesty is spugreater tenderness the sheep com-rious. Genuine candour can never mitted to his care. require the christian advocate to Against the validity or force of conceal his own views, much less this argument, it may perhaps be to sacrifice what he believes to be objected, that the remarks ad- important truth, on the altar of duced, if well founded, can be prejudice or fear. It will never considered merely as matters of wish to impose restraints on the feeling, which unfold the perplexi- preacher's liberty, or take offence ties of pious and feeble minds, but at the avowal and manly defence afford little or no proof that scrip- of Christian doctrines, supported tural views of the person of Christ, by an appeal to the word of God. on points liable to controversy, are And though every congregation may essential to a faithful and efficient have a minister whose general discharge of the christian ministry. views of the Gospel harmonize On the contrary, it may be said, with their own, yet in the exposithere have been men of superior tion of divine truth, they must minds and eminent attainments, expect him to consult his own who, for a series of years, per- thoughts and not theirs, and to lay formed its functions with exem- before them in due proportion what plary fidelity and great acceptance, he honestly conceives to be the though a principle of modesty, or a feeling of indecision, induced them to maintain a strict neutrality on those questions concerning the person of our Saviour, with respect to which the more zealous of different denominations are so decided and explicit. That this neutrality, instead of being condemned as a radical defect, or a dangerous omission, should rather be commended as a peculiar excellence; since, by avoiding disputed topics, and confining their instructions to subjects of general interest on which all are agreed, they repressed the violence and bigotry of

we

mind of the Spirit. What then can demand more explicitness and fidelity than the point under consideration? Indeed the more examine the subject, in relation to the christian system, and the entire process of experimental and practical religion, the more clearly we shall see that a scriptural exhibition of the character of Christ is essential to a proper discharge of the christian ministry, and to the permanent prosperity of the christian church.

Harlow.

(To be continued.)

T. F.

party spirit, and cherished among THE HOLY TENDENCY OF THE DOC-. their hearers a candid and gene

rous disposition.

TRINE OF ELECTION.
(Continued from p. 408.)

But though we would yield to no man in opposing the hydra of BUT we may take another view of intolerance, and in promoting by the subject. We can appeal not the christian ministry a spirit of only to the decisions of Scripture, universal candour, yet we can never but to the experience of the true