seven attributes in Deity. These being implanted in him, according to the spiritual order of his creation, properly constitute his rational soul, and bear witness of the true nature of the Creator. In this sense, man was created in the image and likeness of God, and was constituted God's representative in the natural creation. This is agreeable to the testimony of Solomon: "Wisdom hath "builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars."* This evidently alludes to the seven rational powers of man, who was eminently designed to be the house or habitation of Wisdom. Thus man, in his sphere of action, became as God, capable of exercising to good purposes, and to the extent of his limited capacity, all the attributes of God, with which he was endowed by his Creator; and also capable, by the perversion of his natural faculties to base purposes, of darkening and debasing his moral attributes, and thus rendering his rational soul subservient to his animal propensities. Herein he was made independent, as to his choice of good and evil, being left as free to act within the narrow limits of his sphere, as God his Creator. Hence arose his accountability. For, being the offspring of God, from whom he received his natural and moral faculties, and by whom he was placed as God's representative on earth, it was absolutely necessary that he should improve those powers and faculties to the honor and glory of his Creator, and in obedience to his will, as the only means of gaining honor to himself, and of answering the end of his creation. God having constituted man a reasonable, intelligent being, capable of knowing and doing his will, addresses him as such. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:-If ye "be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land."+ Man is not required to believe nor practice that which is contrary to the plain and obvious dictates of right reason. Right reason has its foundation in the acknowledged attributes of God; otherwise it is not right reason: for no one can with propriety call that right which is known to be contrary to righteousness. 66 In all the works of God there is a perfect consistency, and all his manifestations to man are perfectly reasonable. The operations of all his attributes are displayed in the most perfect harmony and correspondence with each other. "It is impossible for "God to lie" for he is "a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he." It is therefore impossible that he should devise any plan, fix any decree, or perform any work which would His attribute of Power operate against any one of his attributes. can never operate against that of Wisdom. His Justice, which necessarily proceeds from Righteousness, can never be sacrificed to mercy, nor can mercy be sacrificed to justice. Nor can his Heb. vi. 18, & Deut. xxxii. 4. Power, with all his sovereignty and independence, or any thing pertaining to his character, ever operate against Truth, Goodness, Light, Holiness or Love. The want of just conceptions concerning the character of God, as manifested in his attributes, has been the cause of the many different opinions which prevail among mankind, respecting divine things. Hence it is that people in the pursuit of religion, are so often led to adopt false principles, and establish themselves upon a wrong foundation. And false principles, when once adopted as divine truths, have a delusive tendency; and however inconsistent with the plain dictates of right reason, they are very apt to obtain a strong hold in the mind, and, like an inveterate disease, are very difficult to eradicate, especially when supported by the authority of great names, and confirmed by length of time. We have a striking example of the truth of this remark in that unqualified doctrine, maintained by many, who affirm that God, as an independent, Almighty Sovereign, has a just right to do what he pleases, and can, consistent with that right, sentence to eternal misery, many millions of souls who never were favored with the light of the gospel. This soul-sickening doctrine, which had its origin in the regions of antichristian darkness, has caused thousands, and perhaps millions, to blaspheme the very name of God, as a Being of infinite injustice and cruelty. The Almighty has truly a right to do what he will; but it is impossible that he should ever will any thing which is inconsistent with his attribute of Righteousness, or with any attribute of his nature: for this would at once destroy the harmony of his attributes, and render him an inconsistent and changeable Being. All doctrines which represent God as making any difference in the future state of his rational creatures, respecting their salvation or damnation, without a special regard to their works, and all the reasons advanced in support of such doctrines, are falacious and unfounded, and ought to be rejected as inconsistent with the attribute of righteousness and justice. Such doctrines, being fraught with the greatest possible evil to the creature, are equally inconsistent with goodness. They also operate against the attribute of light: for no.doctrine ever produced a more darkening and discouraging effect upon the mind of man. To suppose the fate of man irrevocably fixed, must necessarily discourage all attempts to alter it by any good which it is in his power to do. Such a doctrine must not only greatly obscure the benevolent and glorious character of the Deity, in the eyes of his rational creatures; but render him more like a tyrannical devil who delights in the misery of his creatures, than like a good, merciful and gracious God, "who "hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked."* *Ezek. xxxiii. 11. All doctrines which maintain that gloomy opinion, that a man, when called by the gospel, may be in doubt as to the knowledge of such a call, and cannot positively see and know his duty, nor discern the certainty of the way of life and salvation, or that he can be a follower of Christ and not know it, are inconsistent with the attributes of light and knowledge. "For God who command"ed the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts."* Jesus saith, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me "shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."† Hence the very message of the gospel to souls was designed, “To "open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from "the power of Satan unto God." "If any man will do his will, "he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God."|| Here is neither doubt nor supposition expressed, but a positive declaration of Jesus Christ, who hath declared himself "the way, the truth "and the life."‡‡ Hence it is evident that the plain and obvious reason why so many professing christians of the present day, do not positively know the way, the truth and the life, is, they do not do the will of God for those who do his will, are in the way; and to do his will is indeed the only way. Therefore, those who express such doubts, are evidently witnesses against themselves, that they are not in the way. The doctrine of christian sinners, or the idea of christians' living in sin, so strenuously advocated by many, is utterly inconsistent with every attribute of God. All doctrines which imply that real christians cannot live without sin, are inconsistent with the attributes of power and goodness, and indeed with every Divine attribute. "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not; whosoever 46 sinneth, hath not seen him, nor known him. He that committeth "sin is of the devil." The opinion which prevails so extensively among mankind, that no man, not even a real christian, is able to live without committing sin, is one of the most destructive errors that ever proceeded from the powers of darkness. It strikes directly against a life of holiness, and is calculated to discourage all attempts in the pursuit of virtue: for what inducement can any man have to pursue that which he believes it impossible to obtain? He who imbibes the principle, that it is impossible to obtain power over sin, will soon find that every spring of his carnal nature is ready to cherish the deception, and check the reproaches of con science. If then, this principle is so agreeable to the "carnal mind," which the apostle declares to be "enmity against God;"** surely it cannot proceed from God. The very work which Christ came • 2 Cor. iv. 6. John xiv, 6. † John viii. 12. T1 John iii, 6 & 8. Acts xxvi. 18. John vii. 17; **Rom. viii. 7. into the world to do, was to take away sin―" to save his people "from their sins."* Was then the object of his mission unattainable? Was he sent into the world to undertake a work which he was unable to accomplish? By no means. His own testimony proves that his power was sufficient for the work. "All power "is given unto me in Heaven and in earth." If then, all power is given him, and if the very object of his mission was "to save "his people from their sins," why are not these christian sinners saved from sin? for if they are christians indeed, they must be Christ's people. Besides; he has promised explicitly; "All things "whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."‡ Again; "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall "ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."|| Thus it appears that Christ's power is sufficient; and surely no one will pretend that he is unfaithful in his promises: What then? Is he deficient in goodness and love? By no means. All professing christians will readily acknowledge his goodness and love. Is he unable to discern the devices and stratagems of Satan, so as to counteract them and protect his people? Certainly not: for this would exclude the attributes of wisdom and light; and the apostle Paul declared Christ to be "the power of God, and the wisdom of "God" and Christ himself, as before observed, testified, saying, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk "in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Here we find nothing deficient on the part of Christ; yet these sinning christians still continue to walk in darkness and live in sin, and plead the impossibility of doing otherwise; and yet they name the name of Christ, and claim the character of christians! But what title have they to this character? If the testimony of Christ be true, they cannot possibly be his followers, while they live in sin and walk in darkness. The attribute of Divine Love is readily acknowledged by all the professors of christianity; and many, even among these sinning christians, profess to share bountifully in the love of God. But if they really possess the true love of God, which is indeed the most certain evidence that they are beloved of God, why does not this love keep them from sinning? "If ye love me, keep my com"mandments," said Jesus; and surely there can be no sin in keeping his commandments. "No good thing will God withhold from "them that walk uprightly."** Do these christians walk uprightly? or does God withhold his goodness? Surely they cannot impeach the goodness of God. If they really possess his love, they must also possess his goodness: for these are so intimately connected together, that they cannot be separated. Why then are they not Matt i. 21. 1 Cor. i, 24, Matt. xxviii 18, Matt. xxi. 22. ** Psa, lxxxiv, 11, || John xv. 7. delivered from sin? Can sin abide with God's love and goodness? Can righteousness have fellowship with unrighteousness? Can light have communion with darkness?* As well might Satan dwell in a tabernacle of holiness. The Spirit of God is holy; but sin is unholy. Hence the holiness of God is opposed to sin; therefore, wherever the Spirit of holiness operates, it must effectually exclude sin; unless where sin is more powerful than holiness; and there it must equally exclude holiness for they can never abide together in any soul. Hence we must conclude that sin has dominion over these sinning christians, being more powerful in them than the Spirit of holiness: for that which is most powerful must have the dominion. But holiness must then be excluded: for they cannot dwell together. And if the sins of these christians exclude God's holiness, they must exclude his goodness and love, yea, and his righteousness also, together with every attribute pertaining to the nature of God. If this be done, what then becomes of their christianity? The apostle Paul, in writing to the church of Corinth, expresses himself in these words; "Know ye not that ye are the temple of "God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" and then adds, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy: for "the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." Thus it appears that some of these Corinthian christians to whom Paul addressed himself, had, at least, a measure of the Spirit of God dwelling in them; and it was evidently the apostle's desire to keep them in the Spirit of God. Hence his warning; "If any man de"file the temple of God, him will God destroy." Did these chris tians then live in sin? Certainly not while the Spirit of God dwelt in them. Why then cannot christians of the present day live without sin? Was God more partial to the primitive christians than he now is to modern christians? This would exclude his attribute of righteousness. "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God?" Does he deal unjustly with his people? Does he hold out promises of reward to the faithful and upright, who are willing to bear the cross of Christ, and deny themselves of all ungodliness and every worldly lust; and, at the same time, withhold from them his power and goodness, with all the means of gaining power and victory over sin; and yet threaten destruction to the soul that defileth himself with sin? To suppose that God can deal thus with his people is, in effect, to deny, not only his attribute of righteousness, but also his power and wisdom, his goodness and love, his mercy and truth, and in short, it is to deny every thing that pertains to the holy Spirit of God. Thus it appears that the impious and soul-destroying doctrine ⚫ See 2 Cor. vi. 14, † 1 Cor. iii. 16. 17. |