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cedent period. It has lost nothing of its deleterious effect, on the glory of God and the best interest of men. therefore, be said of false teachers in general, "They zealously affect you, but not well."

The leading object in the investigation of this subject, will be to show,

THE BANEFUL EFFECTS OF CORRUPT DOCTRINES ON THE HUMAN MIND.

Every religious system has its own peculiar moral tendency. There are two grounds, from which the truth or fallacy, the excellency or perniciousness, of any given system of doctrines, may be argued. They are called by divines, a priori, and a posteriori. The former is reasoning from the nature of the system itself; and the latter, from its moral effects on the hearts and lives of men. It is the last method of reasoning that will be principally followed in discoursing on this subject. It is not my intention to animadvert on every religious denomination that might be proved to err in doctrine. Neither is it designed to meddle with such people as disown the Christian name. teachers St. Paul speaks of in the text, undoubtedly called themselves Christian ministers. Taking this important name, has given great currency to ruinous theories in all ages.

A few general remarks may be made,

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1. On a scheme of theology, whose moral tendency is very pernicious; and its relation to the subject in hand is sufficiently near to claim some attention. It is called Universalism. This system may be divided into two distinct classes, as there are some shades of difference; but the general principle is the same. Both these kinds of Universalists pretend to believe in the ultimate and eternal happiness of all men. One of these classes wholly denies all

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punishment beyond the present life; but the other admits a limited state of misery after death. It is no part of the present design, however, to examine the arguments by which these different schemes are said to be supported. There is no doubt, in my mind, that they are both fallacious, and of a destructive moral tendency. You, my hearers, are undoubtedly, in general, of the same opinion, in respect to this denomination. It is not easy to say, which of these schemes is the most ruinous to the souls of men; but they are both highways to eternal death. They perfectly agree in softening down the law of God-in diminishing the evil of sin, and in opposing the belief that divine justice will ever be executed on the sinner, in a way of endless misery. No time need to be spent in proving that both these theories lead to a life of dissipation, and great indifference to all experimental and practical religion. This is sufficient to show that they are not of divine origin, nor calculated to convert the souls of men to God. A mournful want of religious seriousness, evidently appears in all the members of this fraternity-preachers and hearers. They generally speak of sacred things with a great degree of freedom and levity. Their general air indicates an unhumbled mind; and very little prayer is to be heard among them. It is said, in the Scriptures, to be the work of the Holy Spirit to convince men of sin; but no such impressions appear to be on any of their minds. In this community, no one is ever heard to ask the solemn and momentous question, "What shall I do to be saved?" until he is convinced of the error of their system. They appear to have much less fear of sin, than the generality of unawakened sinners. In a word, Universalism is a doctrine of darkness, and the first preacher of it was the grand enemy of God-the deceiver of mankind. He told our primitive parents, that in transgressing the Divine com

mand, they should escape punishment; saying, "Ye shall not surely die." This is the very essence of Universalian doctrine; but in believing it, we must disbelieve God; for he has expressly said in the Scriptures, that "the wicked shall be turned into hell;" that they "shall go away into everlasting punishment." Ps. 9. 17; Matth. 25. 46.

The scheme in view is, therefore, opposite in its nature and effects, to the best interests of society, as well as to the eternal salvation of the soul. But in hearing it preached, many are "zealously affected," and filled with a certain kind of love to the character which that system leads them to believe God sustains. It produces in them, however, no new obedience; which is a clear evidence that its nature is spurious. The very men of the world are often forced to acknowledge, that the moral tendency of the doctrine is opposite to good order and righteousness. Still, it is propagated with great zeal, to a wide extent, and is highly applauded by many who have no desire to reform their ways. As it is a pleasing doctrine to the wicked heart, we need no further evidence of its falsehood. Its votaries, in general, abhor the doctrine of sovereign grace. But in opposing the justice of God, in the eternal damnation of the sinner, the beauty of divine mercy cannot be seen; such people can have no sense of their need of it. Therefore, to be affected with this scheme, is "not well."

2. There is another system, whose distorted features, it is, the principle design to delineate, in the prosecution of this subject. It is the very theory to which the preceding sermons stand opposed; namely, Anti-Trinitarianism. This general system may be divided into several distinct species; from the consideration, that some of them allow more, and others less degrees of dignity to the Lord Jesus Christ.

They are all, however, equally opposed to the doctrine of a Trinity of Persons in God-to the proper Deity and

Atonement of the Redeemer. But these slight shades of difference, do not interrupt their harmony, nor greatly impede their operations in opposing the Orthodox. My remarks, however, will be principally made on that class of Anti-Trinitarians, who reside in this vicinity. They are the disciples of Socinus rather than of Arius, yet, they seem to be unwilling to take the Socinian name. The difference seems to be this ;-Socinus advocated the propriety of worshipping Christ, while he believed him to be nothing but a man, which our modern Anti-Trinitarians, with a greater consistency with the scheme, refuse to perform. I have not been able to learn, that there is any other material difference between Socinus and the Anti-Trinitarians in this region. It is the moral tendency of the system, as it is held here, with which we are chiefly concerned. In attending to that, however, the nature and tendency of the system at large may be ascertained.

The plan, to which these discourses stand opposed, is essentially different from our views, in every prominent feature. If that is divine truth, then we are as really idolaters as the heathen world; but if we are correct, then our opponents are nominally christians, but real infidels. These conclusions cannot be consistently denied; yet the AntiTrinitarians seem to be loth to admit them. This arises from their latitudinarianism, and the non-importance which they attach to doctrinal opinions. But that is mere pretence; forthey show the greatest possible opposition to Calvinistic doctrines, and declare that they are hostile to all virtue-repugnant to the glory and government of God. These things will be made to appear, in the subsequent part of this subject.

I am, by no means, disposed to take offence at their sayings on these points; for if their system is the right one, they must necessarily believe, that we can never go to hea

ven in our idolatry. It is said in the word of God, that “idolaters shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone,, which is the second death.” Rev. 21. 8. It is equally clear, that if we are right, they are "denying the Lord that bought them ;" and the Apostle says, that such people are "bringing upon themselves, swift destruction." 2 Pet. 2. 1. The difference, therefore, between these systems, is as great as that between light and darknes, heaven and hell. Shall we then compliment each other, as fellow Christians? No; no such relation can exist between us. It is justly said by one of their own writers, that "people, whose religious sentiments are so dissimilar, cannot be fellow worshippers in the same temple."* The effects of our system and their's, therefore, must be entirely different on the human mind. In the next sermon, I shall attempt to show more particularly, how the scheme that I am opposing, operates on the hearts and lives of men. AMEN.

*The Rev. "Samuel Miller, D. D. Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Church Government, in the Theological Seminary of the Fresbyterian Church in the United States, at Princeton," says, that he had an interview with "Dr. Priestley, two or three years before" his "decease," at which time, Dr. Priest ley said, "I do not wonder that you Calvinists entertain and express a strongly unfavorable opinion of us Unitarians. The truth is, there neither can, nor ought to be, any compromise between us. If you are right, WE ARE NOT CHRISTIANS AT ALL; and if we are right, you ARE GROSS IDOLATERS." [See the Southern Intelligencer for March 30, 1822, page 50.]

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