It is to be done with meekness and fear.

of differing sects is the cause of much censure and want of charity.

"Yet even in this intercourse which is so much our duty, there is, from the frailty of our nature, some danger. When sincere and well-meaning christians, whose views are different, converse together on what they believe, a spirit of controversy is naturally excited. A zeal for maintaining their own creed and their own opinions leads to disputation, and that produces unkind feelings and passions, inconsistent with christian charity.-Against this danger, the apostle in our text has wisely guarded. While we give the reason of our hope, it is to be with "meekness and fear." Observe this, and there will be no danger of angry controversy. Meekness is one of the essential christian virtues. It characterizes the wisdom which is from above, and is among the fruits of the Spirit.

"When we communicate to others our religious tenets, we must not be dogmatical, self-confident, or overbearing, as though our notions were the standard of orthodoxy, and none can be right who differ from us: In our manner we are to be gentle, humble, modest, kind, and easy to be entreated, showing all due respect to the opinions and the feelings of others. We must be pitiful, and courteous, and tender hearted in all our intercourse with mankind, and never return railing for railing.-But especially in teaching or conversing on a subject so awfully important as the revealed will of God, and the redemption of mankind by his blessed Son, we should be not only "meek," but "should fear." Much reason in such cases we have to fear, lest we ourselves should be in error; lest we should not have correct views of the truth, as it is in Jesus Christ; lest in some points we should be ignorant, or mistaken, or influenced by prejudice; or lest we should say what is not true, and, like the friends of Job, offend God by our zeal in speaking for him. We should fear too, lest in disputing about religion, some angry or unchristian feeling should be excited in our breasts; lest we should not give our reasons with meekness, lest through some fault or carelessness, we would say what will injure, more than benefit religion. We must be ready and frank in communicating what we know and believe, and do it with "meekness and fear." It will tend much to the promotion of truth and fel

An adaptation to the peculiarities of the case.

lowship and love, and to the diffusion of pure and undefiled religion.

"We are directed further to 'give a reason of our hope to every one who asketh.' Of course, the reason we give, should be accommodated to the case of each, who may inquire. You may be questioned on the subject of religion by those who do not themselves believe in any religion: to such people it will be necessary to show what evidence you have of the truth of the Holy Scriptures, and of the blessed gospel of Jesus Christ. You may show too, the purity of its mor als; the noble view it gives us of the perfections of the Divine Being; and that it is the only religion which has had any good effect in changing the heart, and reforming the manners, and giving men a reasonable and sure hope of future blessedness. Should you be questioned by a Jew, on the ground of your hope, it would be most fitting to reason with him from the prophecies of the Old Testament, and their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. In giving reasons to any one, it is necessary first, to ascertain in what points he agrees with you, and wherein you differ.

"In the present state of religion among us, divided as christians are into many sects and denominations, we must frequently have occasion to apply the precept contained in our text in conversation with christians of various sentiments. An open, candid, and friendly communication of our religi ous hopes and views to each other tends to much good in several respects. It has the good effect of removing preju dice; it promotes love among all christian people, and has a tendency to make us all of one mind. Our reason tells us (what the scriptures command) that we should "prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." If others differ from us in some things, we are all interested in knowing, and we ought to ask, and we may justly expect to be inform ed, why they believe and hold as they do. By such inquiry, we should, in many instances, learn things of importance, of which we were before ignorant: we may find, and most probably should find, that, in some things, other christians may be more correct than we. And on the other hand, if by inquiry it should appear that others are in error, we shall be better prepared to oppose or avoid it, as duty may require. "There is a great deal of sin committed by christians, and

Good resulting from a frank interchange of sentiments among christians. much injury done to religion, by uncharitable feelings towards those of other denominations; by misrepresenting their doctrines and exciting prejudices against them. Many of us, I fear, have much to answer for in regard to this. St. Peter in our text puts us in a way to lessen this great evil. Generally speaking, the more we know the reasons others have for the hope that is in them, the more we become acquainted with their religious tenets, and with what they have to say in defence of their belief or disbelief, the less likely shall we be to misrepresent their doctrines;—the less likely even to censure them.

"Another great good resulting from such ready and frank communications among christians, would be, that the people would better know what their teachers believe. It would remedy an evil which we fear is not uncommon ;—that of teachers with-holding, or concealing their real sentiments on some important points. We who pretend to preach Jesus Christ, and to be his ministers, ought certainly, above all things, to tell you plainly and very explicitly who He is; what his dignity and character; what he has done to effect your salvation; what is the efficacy of his sacrifice, and effect of his cross, and what you ought to believe respecting him. And you have a right, and it is indeed your duty, to require of us to be very clear and explicit on these most essential points. And we should all, both ministers and people, of all sects and denominations, endeavour to have a clear and definite understanding of what we do believe, and what our religious hopes are; and also to ascertain clearly and correctly wherein christians think differently, that we may be better able, not only to judge correctly, and think charitably of others, but to avoid what is erroneous and hold fast what is good.'

"That I may practice according to the doctrines I teach, I will now, the Lord permitting, apply our text, and the remarks which have been made, by offering some reasons of the hope that is in us of this church; what we believe, and what we hold respecting Jesus Christ and the christian religion. I shall now suppose that there is no question with any of us, but that the scriptures contain the revealed will of God, and a true way of salvation. I will endeavor in few words

Natural state of mankind: Redemption.

to show you what, in our view, and according to our belief, the way is.

"1. In regard, first, to the natural state of mankindwe believe, what a great majority of christians believe and ever have believed, that by one man sin entered into this world, and death by sin, and that death, in consequence, is passing upon all men.'-The disputes among christians about total depravity, which are often but strifes of words, do not affect the true doctrine taught in the scriptures.-Some men are much more wicked than others; and perhaps there is no one on earth so bad as he might be. But we believe that since Adam sinned, men, even the best of men, are, from the first dawnings of their moral sense, inclined to selfishness and sin; that in our nature there is no spiritual health, nothing perfectly good; till our minds are renewed by grace, we are considered, in the scriptures, as at enmity with God.

"2. On the great and glorious doctrine of redemption— we hold also with the greater part of christians, that God so loved the world, that he sent into it his only begotten Son, that all who believe in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.' He is called in the scriptures the Word, or the Wisdom. This word was in the beginning with God and was God. He was before all things: all things visible and invisible were made by him, and for him, and by him they still consist. This Word, we also believe, was made flesh, and dwelt among men on this earth. That he might become our Saviour and redeem us to God, he left the glory, which he had with the Father before the world was, and came into this world to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. He took our nature and became perfect man, and he taught by his example how man ought to live. As a man, anointed as our Prophet, he was enlightened in all divine things; while he had the feelings and all the sinless infirmities of our nature, the union with the Divine nature was such that it rendered what he did, as man, on our behalf, vastly meritorious. He tasted death for every man his death upon the cross was sufficient to take away, and did take away, the sins of the world ::-that is, he opened a way by which all men may obtain forgiveness, and acceptance with God. Having offered this one sacrifice for sin, he forever sat down on the right hand of God. In this capacity, as our Redeemer and Advocate with the

1

The Holy Spirit: Doctrines of grace.

Father, he is restored to that glory which he had with his Father before the world was. There are some denominations of Christians who think that Christ died but for a part of mankind a certain elect number; but the doctrine of this our church is, that he is the propitiation for our sins; and not our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world.'

"3. We believe also in the Holy Ghost; that he is the Spirit of the Father, and the Spirit of the Son, and of course the Eternal Spirit: that he is an existing, active agent, clearly distinguished in the scriptures from the Father and the Son: and that it is by this Spirit that God works in us, and directs, and strengthens us to will and to do what is good; and that, without the aid of this Spirit, which Christ by his merits purchased for us, we never could be and do what God requires.

"4. We believe, too, in what are truly called the doctrines of grace. Some give this name to speculative notions which we cannot find in the scriptures; and we think it would be wise to be less confident, than some are, respecting them. Our church has remarkably manifested her wisdom in her manner of speaking on intricate and mysterious subjects. She pretends not to be wise beyond what is revealed. All the great and distinguishing doctrines of the cross she decidedly holds and is faithful to teach. Such as the merits of Christ's sacrifice, and the agency of God's Spirit. We hold that it is by grace that we are saved, through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God,'-that it is the Spirit of God, which subdues the enmity of our natural hearts, and renews a right spirit within us. The necessity of a spiritual change, by repentance and faith, called a new birth, our church carefully teaches; and also that we are justified, or accounted righteous before God, not for our works or deservings, but for the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ accounted to us by faith; or in other words, that 'Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.' He who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.' But we do not make void the law through faith; rather we establish the law. The tree is known by its fruit: the evidence of a true religious faith is its renewing the heart, and producing the fruit of good living. The aid of God's Spirit does not take