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The Gospel to be supported by those who enjoy it.
GALATIANS vi. 6.
_Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that
teacheth in all good things._
The system of doctrines, duties, and ordinances revealed in scripture
is exceedingly plain, level to every capacity, and easy to be
comprehended. That it is so, is one of its most engaging
recommendations. Were it unintelligible, or wrapped up in obscurity
and mysticism, this of itself would be a valid plea for rejecting it
as an imposture or fraud. So plain is it, in its essential
principles, that nothing but a willing mind to hear, receive, and
attend to truth and duty is wanting. Were we sincerely and candidly
disposed to hear and admit the truth, we should differ but little, in
our opinions, about the distinguishing peculiarities and glories of
Christian doctrine and practice. The reason, or at least, chief
reason, why we omit what is clearly revealed to us as duty by God, is
because we in heart are opposed to it. An unwillingness to believe
and do, as we are expressly commanded, is the real difficulty in the
way of our salvation. This unwillingness at heart puts us upon making
objections against a duty, which is clearly revealed, and repeatedly
revealed, raises prejudices against it, forms apologies for the
omission of it, and sets to work, most vigorously, all the system of
the selfish affections. For what we are really and deeply unwilling
to do, or wish not to be true, we can easily work ourselves up to
disbelieve.
On subjects of a moral and religious nature, a man by nourishing
prejudices, by false reasoning, by artifice and delusion, can
persuade himself to believe any thing, however absurd or impious or
contradictory--even to admit that he is inspired,--or may lawfully
murder himself and family; or that there are no Gospel ordinances, or
_stated_ worship of the Deity, or that a divine revelation, which
bears all the marks of credibility and authenticity, that could be
desired, is only a cunningly devised fable. This being the case, we
ought in all conditions, to be most vigilantly upon our guard against
the illusions of our own minds; and also against the temptations of
the great adversary of souls, who always joins in with those
illusions. He artfully attempts to rivet them, full well knowing that
this is the most probable way to succeed in his designs to ruin us
forever, and to make us the occasion of disturbance and divisions in
society. A heated imagination, an erroneous conscience, and selfish
affections of the heart, together with bitter prejudices against the
truth are the most successful engines ever employed by the adversary
of souls to deceive and ruin them. They are dangerous things, more so
than can be easily conceived.--Nay, no person can, to a sufficient
degree, dread the unhappy influence of an erroneous
Conscience--heated imagination--inflamed passions--and intemperate
zeal. They have led away many thousands from truth and duty, and
sealed them down in fatal delusions. We are surprised to find what,
we must acknowledge, is found by daily experience, that many, who
profess sincerely to believe the truth of Religion, are
notwithstanding discovered to be capable of rejecting some of its
most important principles, and plainest duties.----Among these plain
duties, that of supporting the Gospel may justly be reckoned one.