Is this the Infinite? 'Tis he-- My Saviour and my God. And again, And again, Did Pity ever stoop so low, In groans of an expiring God? This infant is the mighty God, Come to be suckled and adored; I need not trouble you with more verses; these will show what strange doctrines the Old Light hold about the Son of God. It is true that in your meeting-house you do not sing these; for you use the Psalms and Paraphrases, as I do myself; but many of the Old Light do sing these; and if you believe the Old Light doctrine, that Jesus, who was born in a stable and was murdered on a cross, was the God of Heaven and earth, you could not object to the verses I have quoted for you. But you will perhaps tell me that Jesus is called God, and gets the titles of God in the Scriptures, and he must therefore be God. It is true that he is called Emmanuel, mighty God, and Everlasting Father. But, if you consider that he came not to do his own will, but the will of his Father, not to speak his own words and work his own works, but to speak the words and work the works of his Father, you will not think it strange, that he is sometimes called by his Father's name. While this should make us deeply venerate the Blessed Redeemer, the titles that are given to him in the Word of God will shew us that he cannot be God. Call a few of these titles to your mind. He is said to be the anointed, the sent, the beloved, the chosen servant of God. The Being that is anointed, sent, beloved, chosen, cannot be the same being that anointed, sent, loved, chose him; that is, Christ cannot be God. He is called the Lamb of God; the lamb of God cannot be God himself. He is called the Son of God; the Son of God cannot be God himself. He is called Mediator and Advocate and Intercessor; he cannot be the same Being as he with whom he mediates, pleads and intercedes. calls himself the vine and his Father the husbandman; he can no more be the same with his Father, than the He vine tree can be the same with the husbandman who has planted it. But I need not multiply titles. You must see clearly enough that the titles of Christ, so far from proving that he is God, prove that he cannot be God, but that he is, as the New Light doctrine teaches, the Son of God. 3. As to the object of Christ's mission, the Old Light folk say, that it was to appease the Father's wrath; but the New Light say, that it was to display the Father's love. God is angry with sin, but he loves sinners; he loves them, not because they are sinners, but because they are his children. Earthly parents will love their children, even when they are disobedient and wicked. God loves his people with more than a Father's love. Christ has taught us that He will pardon us just as the prodigal's father pardoned him. He is waiting to be gracious and "He so loved us as to give his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The Old Light seem to think that Christ came to quell God's wrath, while he only came to put away sin, with which God is ever angry, and to bring back his children whom he loves, to happiness and to Heaven. 66 4. The last great point of difference between the Old Light and the New is, that the Old Light believe that by the decree of God some men are predestinated unto everlasting life and others foreordained to everlasting death;" while the New Light believe that God willeth not the death of a sinner; and that whosoever will, may drink of the waters of life freely. I think you have been always so far New Light as to think that Christ died for the world-for the whole world; that he is appointed to be the Saviour of all, and that all who will may be saved by him. Some people seem to think that Redemption is to be all with themselves, and you would think they prize it more because only their own sort will possess it. But happily God is more merciful than they are, and what they would give to a few, he offers to all. Christ calls all, and you may depend on it, he would not have called all, if all had not the power of obeying his call. I have now told you, as plainly as I could, what I believe to be the difference between Old Light and New Light. You will not think so badly of us as your minister would have you think. Judge, however, for yourself what the Scriptures say on these points, and let the Scriptures guide you; for they, you know, are given "to be a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path." Believe me to be your friend and well-wisher, ***** ON THE CHARACTER AND INSPIRATION OF THE character of the Apostles furnishes a strong argument for the truth of the Gospel history; and the change which took place at Pentecost, is a convincing proof of their inspiration. I. Their call was singularly accidental, and had no reference to their qualifications for that office. On the day after John the Baptist had borne testimony to our Saviour, "he was standing with two of his disciples; and seeing Jesus standing, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God; and the two disciples heard him, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelled, and abode with him that day." One of these was Andrew, the other is supposed to have been John. "Andrew soon after findeth his own brother Simon and saith unto him, we have found the Messias ; and he brought him to Jesus; and when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon, thou shalt be called Cephas, that is, Peter. The day following, Jesus would go into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. He again met Nathaniel, and said unto him, we have found him, of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write." In this casual manner were these four apostles introduced to Christ; and so little opportunity had he of inquiring into their talents, or dispositions. On their part, nothing appears but simplicity and docility. They did not, however, continue with him, nor immediately become his disciples; for, some time after, at the lake of Genesaret, "when the people pressed upon him, he entered into a ship," which he saw empty on the strand," and sat down and taught the people out of the ship. Now this ship was Simon Peter's;" and it was in consequence of the miraculous draught of fishes which followed, and not from any former invitation, that Simon and his partners, James and John the sons of Zebedee, forsook all and followed him. On another occasion, coming down to the sea, to Capernaum, a sea-port which was his principal place of resi dence, as he passed by, after teaching the people, "he saw Matthew, otherwise called Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom," to collect the toll paid by passengers who crossed the lake. To him he said, "follow me; and he left all and followed him." This particular account we have, of the calling of six of the Apostles, Peter and Andrew, sons of Jona; James and John, sons of Zebedee; Philip and Matthew. To these he added six more; but of the manner in which he selected them, we have no account. That he was not influenced by any qualities, moral or intellectual, will appear from their own candid confession, and his animated rebukes. The defects which appear occasionally in the Apostles, are dulness of apprehension, slowness of belief, and timidity, with a tincture of envy, bigotry, and ambition; and these are the reverse of the qualities most desirable in their situation, incapacitating them for maintaining their cause with ability and confidence ; and exposing them to dissensions and jealousies among themselves. Their Master sometimes overlooks their slowness of apprehension, and sometimes reproves them in express terms. This imperfection appeared particularly in the interpretation of parables. When Jesus saw that they did not comprehend the parable of the sower, he said, know ye not this parable? how then will ye know all parables? That of the tares they solicited him to interpret, though it was sufficiently plain; and he complied with their request, without reproach. When Peter, the most intelligent of their number, required an explanation of that saying; "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out; saying, Declare unto us this parable; he replied, Are ye also yet without understanding? do ye not yet understand?" Again, after he had delivered that simple and beautiful allegory, concerning the good shep herd, "who entereth in by the door, and calleth his sheep by name, and leadeth them out; and goeth before them, and they know his voice; they understood not what things they were, which he spake unto them." When they misconceived his allusion to the leaven of the Pharisees, he could not refrain from saying, How is it, that ye do not understand ? But these were not the only instances of their dulness. After our Lord had told them, that in his father's house were many mansions, and that he was going to prepare a place for them; and would come again, and take them to himself; concluding with "whither I go ye know, and the way ye know," Thomas said, " Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how should we know the way?" Lastly, when he foretold in the plainest language, what should take place, after they went up to Jerusalem, "that the son of man should be delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, scourged, spit upon, and slain; and should rise the third day; they understood none of these things; and this saying was hidden from them, neither understood they the things that were spoken." This is enough to show, that in point of natural intellect, they were effectually disqualified, even to the last day of his ministry, for maintaining his cause after his departure. "that Again, their incredulity was as obstinate, as their stupidity was gross. They had good reason to say, "Lord, increase our faith." His answer implies, they had not faith as a grain of mustard seed." After all the warnings they had received, they would not believe Mary Magdalene, who told them that Jesus was alive, and had been seen of her; for which unbelief and hardness of heart, he upbraided the eleven. When he appeared to themselves, they supposed they had seen a spirit. When he showed them his hands and his feet, they yet believed not for joy. Thomas would not believe the report of his brethren, nor be convinced till he should see the print of the nails in his hands, and put his finger into the print of the nails, and thrust his hand into his side. On the day of the resurrection, two of them were travelling on some private business to Emmaus; and when accosted by Jesus on the way, it appeared, that they had given over all hopes, though they had once trusted, "that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel." Such men as these were ill-qua |