Some people are frightened at the idea of _Doctrine_, as though it were
a mere abstraction, which has nothing to do with practical life. This
notion is founded on a misapprehension not only of the meaning of the
term, but of the connection of actions with established principles of
the mind. The general signification of the word _doctrine_ is, the
principles upon which any system is founded. As applied to Christianity,
it means _divine truth_; for this is the foundation upon which the
Christian religion rests. Although the truths of God's Word are not
reduced to a regular system in the Bible, yet, when brought together,
they make the most beautiful and perfect of all systems. It is proper,
therefore, that we should contemplate them _in a body_, as they appear
with the most perfect symmetry, in the plan of God's moral government.
There is a disposition, at the present day, to undervalue doctrinal
knowledge. Many people think it of little consequence what they
_believe_, if they are only _sincere_, and manifest much _feeling_ on
the subject of religion. But this is a ruinous mistake. There is a most
intimate connection between faith and practice. Those principles which
are believed and received into the heart govern and control our actions.
The doctrines which God has revealed in his Word are the principles of
his moral government. As we are the subjects of that government, it
cannot be a matter of small moment for us to understand, so far as we
are capable, the principles upon which it is administered. If we mistake
these principles, we may be found in open rebellion, while we think we
are doing God service. For example: God commands us not to steal. But,
if we do not _believe_ that he has given this commandment, we shall feel
under no obligation to _obey_ it. And every truth which God has revealed
is as intimately connected with practice as this, although the duty
enjoined be, in itself considered, of less consequence. Christianity is
called a spiritual building. "Ye are built up a spiritual _house_."
"Whose _house_ are we?" "We are God's _building_." Now the _foundation_
and _frame-work_ of this building are the doctrines or truths of the
Bible. Some of these doctrines are called _fundamental_ or _essential_,
because they lie at the _foundation_ of the whole building; and are so
_essential_ to it, that, if taken away, the whole would fall to the
ground. These are, The Existence of God in three persons, Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost; the Fall, and consequent Depravity of Man; the Atonement
of Christ; Justification by faith in him alone, and the Office of the
Holy Spirit in the work of Regeneration. If any _one_ of these were
taken away, it would overturn the whole building. These may, therefore,
well be called the _foundation_. But you see there are other very
important parts of a _frame_ besides the foundation. So there are many
other very important truths of Christianity, besides its essential
doctrines. But some of these are of more consequence than others. If a
_post_ or a _beam_ is taken away, the building is greatly marred and in
danger of falling; yet, if well _covered_, it may still be a comfortable
dwelling. Again, although a _brace_ or a _pin_ is of service to
strengthen the building, yet either may be taken away without very
serious injury. But a _frame_ may be _complete_ in all its parts, and
yet be no building. Without a _covering_, it will not answer a single
design of a house; and just in proportion as it is well covered, will it
be a comfortable residence. Just so with Christianity. The covering of
the house is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart, producing
gracious affections, which manifest themselves in a holy life. But the
covering of a house cannot exist without some kind of frame-work. So
experimental and practical piety cannot exist without a belief of the
principal doctrines of the gospel. The Holy Spirit operates upon the
heart _through the truth_. He gives it a personal application; brings it
home to the heart and conscience, and makes it effectual in changing the
heart and life. "Sanctify them _through thy truth_: thy word is truth."
"Of his own will begat he us, _with the word of truth_." "Seeing ye have
purified your souls, in _obeying the truth through the Spirit_." "Being
born again _by the word of God_." Thus, the agency of the Spirit is
always acknowledged in connection with the truth. Any religious feeling
or experience, therefore, which is not produced by the truth made
effectual by the Holy Spirit, is not genuine. There is a kind of
indefinite religious feeling, which many mistake for Christian
experience. They _feel_, and perhaps deeply; but they know not _why_
they feel. Such religious feeling is to be suspected as spurious. It may
be the delusion of the devil. By persuading people to rest upon this
spurious religious feeling, he accomplishes his purpose as well as if he
had kept them in carnal security. And the clearer our views of truth,
the more spiritual and holy will be our religious affections. Thus,
godly sorrow arises from a sight of our own depravity, with a sense of
the exceeding sinfulness of sin, as committed against a holy God, and
against great light and mercy. Faith is produced by a spiritual view of
the atonement of Christ, and of his infinite fulness as a complete and
perfect Saviour. Love is excited by a discovery of the excellence of
God's moral perfections. Holy fear and reverence arise from a sight of
the majesty and glory of his natural attributes, and a sense of his
presence. Joy may come from a sense of the infinite rectitude of his
moral government; from the sight of the glory of God, in his works of
providence and grace; or from a general view of the beauty and
excellence of divine truth. Comfort may be derived from evidence of the
divine favor; and confidence, from an appropriation of God's promises to
ourselves. And in many other ways, also, the Holy Spirit produces
spiritual feelings through the instrumentality of the truth. But all
religious feeling, produced by impulse, without any rational view of the
truth, is to be suspected. It may be the work of Satan, who is very busy
in counterfeiting religious experiences for those he wishes to deceive.
Every religious affection has its counterfeit. Thus, sorrow may be
produced by the fear of hell, without any sense of the evil of sin; a
presumption of our own good estate may be mistaken for faith, and this
will produce joy; we may exercise a carnal or selfish love to God,
because we think he loves us, and has made us the objects of his special
favor; and the promises of God, so far as they concern the personal good
of the believer, may administer as much comfort to the hypocrite as to
the real saint.
How exceedingly important is it, then, that you should not only exercise
a general belief of the great doctrines of the gospel, but that you
should have a right apprehension of them. The _truth_ is so necessary in
the Christian warfare, that it is called the _sword of the Spirit_. But
of what benefit is the sword to the soldier who knows not how to use it?
The sword is used as much to ward off the blows of the enemy, as to
attack him. But the novice, who should engage an enemy, without knowing
the use of his weapon, would be thrust through in the first onset.
Hence, the peculiar force of the prayer of our Lord, "Sanctify them
through thy truth." It is by the use of the truth, as the "sword of the
Spirit," in the Christian warfare, that the work of satisfaction is
carried on.
But, as the frame-work of a building, though complete in all its parts,
would be no house without a covering; so we may have a perfect knowledge
of the abstract doctrines of the Christian religion, and be no
Christians. It is the practical and experimental application of these
doctrines to our own hearts and lives, that makes the building complete.
Regard yourself as a subject of God's moral government, and the
doctrines of the Bible as the laws of his kingdom; and you will feel
such a personal interest in them, that you cannot rest in abstract
speculation. Study these doctrines, that you may know how to live to the
glory of God.
I will now give you a few simple directions for obtaining a correct
knowledge of the doctrines of the Bible.
1. _Approach the subject with the spirit of a little child._ "As
new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word." "Except ye be
converted and _become as little children_, ye shall not enter into the
kingdom of heaven." A little child is always satisfied of the truth of
what his father tells him. "My father says so," is reason enough for
him. He does not say, "I will not believe it, because I cannot
understand it." So it should be your first object to ascertain what the
Bible teaches, and then submit to it with the confidence of a little
child. You cannot expect fully to comprehend the ways of an infinite
Being. You can see but a very small part of the system of his moral
government. It cannot be strange, then, if you are unable to discover
the reasonableness of every truth which he has revealed. Do not try to
carry out difficult points beyond what is plainly taught in the
Scriptures. God has revealed all that is necessary for us to know in
this life. He knows best where to leave these subjects. If there were no
difficulties in the truths revealed, there would be no trial of our
faith. It is necessary that we should take some things upon trust. There
are also some truths taught which we find it difficult to reconcile with
others as plainly revealed. Be content to believe both, on the authority
of God's word. He will reconcile them hereafter. "What I do, thou
knowest not _now_, but thou shalt know hereafter." Let this
consideration always satisfy you: "Even so, Father, for so it seemed
good in thy sight." I am the more particular on this point, as it is
the place where error always begins. The setting up of feeble reason in
opposition to the word of God, has been the foundation of all mistakes
in religion. And, if we determine to be satisfied of the reasonableness
of the truth before we believe it, and carry out the principle, we shall
land in downright atheism. By this, I do not mean that any truth is
unreasonable. It is not so. Divine truth is the perfection of reason.
But there are some truths which may appear unreasonable, because we
cannot see the whole of them. Thus, a fly, on the corner of a splendid
edifice, cannot see the beauty and symmetry of the building. So far as
his eye extends, it may appear to be sadly lacking in its proportions.
Yet this is but a faint representation of the narrow views we have of
God's moral government. There is, however, no truth which he has
revealed, in relation to that government, that is more difficult to
understand, than many things that philosophy has discovered in the
natural world. Yet, even infidels do not think of disputing facts
conclusively proved by philosophy, because they cannot understand them.
It becomes us, then, with the deepest humility and self-abasement, to
submit our reason to the word of God.
2. _Avoid a controversial spirit._ Do not study for the sake of finding
arguments to support your own opinions. Take the place of a sincere
inquirer after truth, with a determination to embrace whatever you find
supported by the word of God, however contrary it may be to your
favorite notions. But when objections arise in your mind against any
doctrine, do not suppose you have made some new discovery, and therefore
reject it without farther inquiry. The same objections have perhaps
occurred to the mind of every inquirer, on the same subject; and very
probably they have often been satisfactorily answered by able writers.
This is a common error of young inquirers. They are apt to think others
take things upon trust, and that they are the only persons who have
thought of the difficulties which start up in their minds. But, when
their reading becomes more extensive, they learn, with shame, that what
appeared to them to be original thought, was only following an old,
beaten track.
3. _Use such helps as you can obtain._ Read carefully selected and
judicious authors, on doctrinal subjects.[A] The advantages arising from
the perusal of other books than the Scriptures, to obtain doctrinal
knowledge, are these: 1. You may profit by the experience of others. You
see how the difficulties which arise in your own mind appeared to them,
and how they solved them. 2. Much light may be thrown upon many
difficult passages of Scripture, by an intimate acquaintance with the
times and circumstances under which they were written; and men who
undertake to write on these subjects generally search deeply into these
things. 3. God has been pleased, in every age, to raise up men "_mighty
in the Scriptures_." By the extraordinary powers of mind which he has
given them, they may have clearer perceptions of divine truth than you
are able to obtain by the exertion of your own faculties alone. You may
also employ the sermons which you hear, for an increase of doctrinal
knowledge, as well as an excitement to the performance of duty. But all
these things you must invariably bring to the test of God's word. We are
commanded to "try the spirits, whether they be of God." Do not take the
opinions of men upon trust. Compare them diligently with the word of
God, and do not receive them till you are fully convinced that they
agree with this unerring standard. Make this your text-book; and only
use others to assist you in coming to a right understanding of this.
4. _In all your researches after doctrinal knowledge, seek the guidance
of the Holy Spirit._ Make it a subject of daily prayer, that God would
enable you to understand his word, that you may be "rooted and grounded
in the faith." The influences of the Holy Spirit are two-fold. He
enlightens the understanding, to lead it into a correct knowledge of the
truth; and he applies the truth to the sanctification of the heart. Pray
diligently that you may have both. If you persevere in the proper
observance of this direction, you cannot fail to profit by the others.
But, if you neglect this, your pursuit of doctrinal knowledge will serve
only as food to your pride, self-confidence and vain-glory, and exert a
blighting influence upon your soul.
Your affectionate Brother.
[Footnote A: The reader will find a list of suitable books in the
Appendix.]