History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 48

Author: First Presbyterian Church in Morristown (N.J.)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Morristown, N.J. : "Banner" Steam Print
Number of Pages: 942

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In the explanation of his position, it is im- portant to be understood. It is not asserted by the friends of the christian religion that all men are as bad as they can be ; or that one man is as bad as another ; or that there is no morality-no parental or filial affection -no kindness or compassion in the world- no love of truth, and no honest dealing among men. The friends of religion are not blind to the existence of these qualities in a high degree; nor are they slow to value them, or to render them appropriate honors. They suppose that the Bible presents the fact, that all these things may exist, and diffuse a charm over society, and cement the body politic, and still there be an utter des- titution of right feeling toward God. They suppose that natural amiableness is no proof that a man is not selfish ; that because a child loves its parent, it is no evidence that the child has any regard to God ; and that it is possible that a man may be very kind to the poor, and very just in his deal- ings, and still have a heart full of pride, and selfishness, and envy, and be an entire neglector of God in the feelings of his soul, and in regard to prayer, and to every act that expresses homage to the Deity. Christ- ianity does not charge on men crimes of which they are not guilty. It does not say, as I suppose, that the sinner is held to be personally answerable for the transgressions of Adam, or of any other man ;* or that

*It is not denied that this language varies from the state- ments which are often made on the subject, and from the opinion which has been entertained by many men. And it is admitted that it does not accord with that used on the same subject in the Confession of Faith, and in other standards of doctrine. The main difference is, that it is difficult to affix any clear and definite meaning to the expression, " we sinned in him, and fell with him," It is manifest, so far as it is capable of interpretation, that it is intended to convey the idea not that the sin of Adam is imputed to us, or set over to our account ; but that there was a personal identity constituted between Adam and his posterity, so that it was really our act, and ours only, after all that is chargeable on us. This was the idea of Edwards .- The notion of imputing sin, is an inven- tion of modern times : it is not, it is believed, the doctrine of the confession of faith .- The Author of this discourse intended in the Sermon only to state what he conceived to be the doc-

I remark then, in the first place, that God's plan of saving men is based on the fact that the race is destitute of holiness. So says the text. Not by works of righteousness which we have done. If it were not so, there would have been no necessity for the scheme. Men would have possessed full capability of saving themselves. If men, be- fore or since the promulgation of this plan trine of the Bible. Christianity affirms the fact, that in con-

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God has given a law which man has no power to obey. Such a charge, and such a requirement, would be most clearly unjust. The law requiring love to God, supreme and ! unqualified, and love to man, is supposed to be equitable; fully within the reach of every mortal, if there was first a willing mind. Every man is supposed to be under obligation perfectly, and for ever, to obey that law ; be he in heaven, earth, or hell,- be he a king oa the throne, or a beggar in the streets,-be he a bondman or a freeman.

What then is the fact on which the plan of mercy is based? It is simply, that all men have failed to yield obedience to the requirements of this reasonable law-that there is not an individual that has given evidence that he has not been its violator. The violation of this pure law is held to be the first act of the child when he becomes a moral agent ; the continued act of his life, unless he is renewed ; and the last act on his dying pillow. His whole career is set down as one act of rebellion, because he neglects God, is selfish, is proud, is cherish- ing enmity against his Maker, is opposed to the acts of his government, and is unfriendly to all the efforts made to produce better feel- ings. In innumerable instances this want of holiness, this destitution of love to God and man, goes forth in acts of falsehood, impurity. blasphemy, theft, murder, unkind feelings, and implacable individual and na- tional war .- In support of this presentation of the character of men, the sacred scrip- tures assert the naked fact, claiming to be the testimony of God. Christianity has moreover recorded the history of the world, under inspired guidance, for more than two- thirds of its continuance, and presents no exception to the melancholy account of men. Profane writers, with no reference to any theological debate, and nine-tenths of them with no expectation that their testi-

nection with the sin of Adam, or as a result, all moral agents in this world will sin-and sinning, will die. Rom. v, 12-19. It does not affirm, however, any thing about the mode in which this would be done. There are many ways conceivable in which that sin might secure the result, as there are many ways in which all similar facts may be explained. The drunkard commonly secures as a result, the fact that his family will be beggared, illiterate, perhaps prolane or intemperate. Both facts are evidently to be explained on the same principle as a part of moral Government. The Bible does not, it is be- lieved, affirm that there is any principle of moral government in the one case that is not in the other. Neither the facts, nor any proper interences from the facts, affirm that I am, in either case, personally responsible for what another man did before 1 had an existence.

mony would ever be adduced to settle ques- tions in Divinity, have presented the same fact. Not one solitary historian, though coming from the midst of the people whose deeds are recorded, and designing to give the most favorable representation of their character, has exhibited a nation bearing any marks of holiness. The world, the wide world is presented as apostate ; and he must be worse than blind that would at- tempt to set up a defence of the conduct of men.

Christianity appeals to individuals. All who have been converted by its power, have given their decided testimony, to the darkest representations of the human heart, in the sacred record. Men, before, of all charac- ters, the moral, and the vicious, have con- curred in the representation that they were by nature the children of wrath, and that their hearts were enmity against God.

On this broad fact-wide as the world, and prolonged as its history-the christian scheme is based. Here is an apostate pro- vince of God's empire. Rebellion invaded it, not as it did the ranks of heaven. There it cut off à fixed number ; all mature in wis- dom and knowledge. It would not spread ; it could not be extended to successive tribes. Here, it poisoned a fountain. It was amidst God's works, at first but a little spring, pour- ing into a rill, but soon swelling to creeks, to rivers, to lakes, to oceans. An incalcula- ble number would descend from that first pair of apostates ; and with prophetic cer- tainty it could be foretold that not one of all their descendants would escape the con- tagion to the end of time, however long the apostate world might be suffered to roll amongst the orbs that preserved allegiance. To all ages it would be the same-rising, sinning. apostate, dying man. On each is- land, on each mountain, in each valley, in each cavern, wild or civilized, it would be the same. Crime would be heaped on crime ;- whole nations would bleed ;- whole soils be wet with gore ;- whole tribes would wail ;- and generation would tread on gene- ration-and then themselves expire-and all die as enemies of the God that made them.

II. What could be done? What was done to arrest the evil ?- I remark, secondly, that a plan of salvation was devised on the (To be continued.)

THE RECORD

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MORRISTOWN, N. J. " THIS SHALL BE WRITTEN FOR THE GENERATION TO COME."-Psalms 102 : 18.

VOLUME IV.

FEBRUARY 1884. NUMBER 14

[Printed with the Approval of the Session.]

THE RECORD

Will be published monthly at Morristown, N. J. Terms $1.oo per annum, in advance.

Subscriptions may be made at the book- stores of Messrs. Runyon and Emmell, or to Messrs. James R. Voorhees and William D. Johnson, or by letter addressed to the

EDITOR OF THE RECORD,

Morristown, N. J.

Entered at the Post Office at Morristown, N. J., as second class matter.

(Mr. Barnes's Sermon Continued.)

ground of this, sufficient for all ;- a healing balm fitted to extend far as the spreading moral pestilence and death. This plan con- sisted in the selection and gift of the Son of God to die for the race, that a way of salva- tion might be opened for all. The Being thus selected was the co-equal of the Father -existing in intimate union with him, in perfect honor and happiness, without devia- tion and without change, from all eternity. He was God. This person of the Godhead became intimately and indissolubly united to human nature, in the person of Jesus the Son of Mary of Nazareth. This union was such as to constitute the acts of the Divi- nity, and those of the humanity those of a person ; in the same way as the acts of the mind, or the sufferings of our body, are the acts and sufferings of a person-of ourselves. Thus united, this being possessing the di- vine and human nature in one person, be- came the mediator between God and man. In our nature the Son of God preached the good tidings of peace ; exerted his power in healing the sick, and raising the dead ; gave comfort to the desponding ; supported the weak ; traversed the valleys and ascended

the mountains of Judea ; founded a church and appointed its officers ; predicted his own death, his resurrection, the destruction of the temple and holy city, and the certain universal spread of the Gospel. In human nature the Son of God expired on the cross. The divine nature suffered not, but it gave dignity and value to the sufferings of the man of Nazareth.

He died in the place of sinners. He did not endure indeed the penalty of the law- for his sufferings were not eternal, nor did he endure remorse of conscience ; but he endured so much suffering, bore so much agony, that the Father was pleased to ac- cept of it in the place of the eternal torments of all that should by him be saved. "The atonement, of itself, secured the salvation of no one." It made it consistent for God to offer pardon to rebels. It so evinced the hatred of God against sin-so vindicated his justice-so asserted the honor of his law, that all his perfections would shine forth illustriously, if sinners through this work should be saved. The atonement secured the salvation of no one, except as God had promised his Son that he should see of the travail of his soul, and except on the con- dition of repentance and faith.

In our nature the Son of God arose ; gave proofs of his identity ; and ascended to heaven to make intercession ; to give re- pentance and remission of sins ; and to con- duct the affairs of the universe, with refer- ence to the welfare of the church. He still lives to teach his people, to defend them in danger, to preserve his church from ruin.

This atonement was for all men. It was an offering made for the race. It had not re- spect so much to individuals, as to the law and perfections of God. It was an opening of the way for pardon-a making forgiveness Consistent-a preserving of truth-a magni-

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fying of the law ; and had no particular re- ference to any class of men. We judge that he died for all. He tasted death for every man. He is the propitiation for the sins of the world. He came, that whosoever would believe on him should not perish, but have eternal life.

The full benefit of this atonement is of- fered to all men. In perfect sincerity God makes the offer. He has commissioned his servants to go and preach the Gospel-that is, the good news that salvation is provided for them-to every creature. He that does not this ; that goes to offer the Gospel to a part only ; to elect persons only ; or that supposes that God offers the Gospel only to a certain portion of mankind, violates his commission, practically charges God with insincerity, makes himself " wise above what is written," and brings great reproach on the holy cause of redemption. The offer of salvation is not made by man, but by God. It is his commission ; and it is his solemn charge, that the sincere offer of heaven should be made to every creature. That all creatures have not heard it; that every heathen-man, every Indian, African, and Is- lander, have not heard it, has been owing to the unfaithfulness of ministers-to the avarice of the church-to the want of proper zeal among christians, and not to the com- mand of God, or of any want of fulness in the atonement.

I assume the free and full offer of the Gos- pel to all men, to be one of those cardinal points of the system by which I guage all my other views of truth. It is, in my view, a corner-stone of the whole edifice ; that which makes it so glorious to God, and so full of good-will to men. I hold no doctrines -and by the grace of God never can hold any-which will be in my views inconsistent with the free and full offer of the Gospel to all men : or which will bind my hands, or palsy my tongue, or freeze my heart, when I It is supposed that it is an evident reflec- tion on the Deity, of a most serious nature, to say that he has required under the pen- alty of eternal vengeance, that of man, . which he has in no sense power to do. stand before sinners to tell them of a dying Saviour. I stand as the messenger of God, with the assurance, that all that will may be saved ; that the atonement was full and free; and that if any perish, it will be because The rejection of the gospel, then, is to be traced to some cause, where man will be to blame, not God. they choose to die, and not because they are straitened in God. I have no fellow- feeling for any other Gospel; I have no It is impossible for the pure gospel to right hand of fellowship to extend to any | have any fellowship with a scheme, which

scheme that does not say that God sincerely offers all the bliss of Heaven to every guilty wandering child of Adam,-be he a Caffra- rian, a Hindoo, a man of China, or a Lapland- er ;- a beggar or a king, a rich man, a learned man, a moral man, or an abandoned wretch of christian climes.

The scheme of salvation, I regard, as of- fered to the world, as free as the light of heaven, or the rains that burst on the moun- tains, or the full swelling of broad rivers and streams, or the heavings of the deep. And though millions do not receive it-though in regard to them the benefits of the plan are lost, and to them, in a certain sense, the plan may be said to be in vain, yet I see in this the hand of the saine God that pours the rays of noon-day on barren sands, and genial showers on desert rocks, and gives life, bubbling springs, and flowers, where no man is, to our eyes, yet not to his, in vain. So is the offer of eternal life, to every man here, to every man every where, sincere and full-an offer that, though it may produce no emotions in the sinner's bosom here, would send a thrill of joy through all the panting bosoms of the suffering damned.

III. In the presentation of this scheme, I proceed to remark, in the third place, that while God thus sincerely offers the gospel to men, all mankind, while left to them- selves, as sincerely and cordially reject it. It is not to any want of physical strength, that this rejection is owing ; for men have power enough in themselves to hate both God and their fellow-men ; and it requires less physical power to love God than to hate him ; less power to love a kind and tender parent, than in the face of conscience, and motive, and law, to hate such a parent. And so with regard to a kind, and patient, and holy God. It is found that it is far easier to be reconciled to him, and love him, than to remain at war and oppose Ifim.

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in any sense charges God with wrong. The fact that the gospel is rejected, is then to be traced to the obstinacy of men ; to a de- cided, deliberate purpose not to be saved in this way. All men are supposed, by nature, to be insensible of the need of salvation by another. They are held to be so much op- posed to God, that they will not submit to him. They are charged with being so much

in love with sin, that neither commands nor | ness of your self-complacency been ruffled

threatenings,-neither love, nor vengeance, neither the offer of heaven, nor the pros- pect of hell, will induce them to forsake it. They are so proud, that they will not stoop to receive even eternal joy as a gift. They have so high a conception of their own merit, that neither argument nor intreaty, nor the mild voice of persuasion, will in- duce them to come to the arms of a bleeding Saviour.

Their hearts are so hard, their minds are so blind, that the Saviour might have pro- longed his groans to the end of time, and the rocks-the hard rocks of Jerusalem, might have burst ; and the firm granite of the everlasting hills been dashed to powder, but still the sinner's heart would have been unmoved by all his groans; and the race would have been giddy in pleasure, and im- mersed in business, and grasping honor un- moved. And, had the darkness of that un- natural night when he died, been prolonged to the present time ; and had it been still whispered in every breeze, and heard in every echo, that the Son of God was yet suf- fering for men, and crying in the bitterness of a dying soul, " My God ! my. God ! why hast thou forsaken me?" still not one soli- tary human heart would, of itself, care that there was no sorrow like to this sorrow. From this scene the world turns in cool contempt. The plan is rejected. Man will not come to Christ that he may have life. The proof of this we need not adduce. It is found in the Saviour's personal ministry- in the fact that a nation conspired to put him to death,-in the wide, universal rejec- tion of the gospel since,-in the humiliating unconcern with which men listen, when

" In_strains as sweet

As Angels use, the Gospel whispers peace," in the open opposition, the profane jibe, the bitter sneer, with which the multitude turn from the sufferings of Jesus.

You, who are impenitent sinners in this house, are most favorable representations, in this respect, of your fellow-rebels against heaven, in other parts of the world. May I ask what has been your treatment of the plan of salvation ? From year to year, it has been pressed on your attention. Argu- ment, entreaty, and persuasion, have been exhausted in vain. Never has the smooth-

by any remorse that you have trampled on the blood of the Son of God ;- never has the highness of your look been brought down by the remembrance that you have practi- cally joined in the cry, " Crucify him. Crucify him ;" never have you breathed one solitary emotion of gratitude to heaven, that Judah's rocks heard his groans, and that her mountains echoed his sighs ; never have you sought his aid or felt your need of his salvation, or desired an interest in his blood. With one consent, you have turned your backs on the gospel. So have all the race-so would you, and they, to the end of time. There is such a cool indifference to it in the sinner's bosom,-or such decided con- tempt,-or such fixed opposition, that if it. were left to itselt, not a man would be saved. As the cold and putrid carcasses of the dead do not of themselves seek life; as the turt would not move, nor the tomb-stones shake, nor the pale mouldering people open their eyes, of themselves, if I were to go and preach to yonder graves ; even so it is, when I preach to sinners. Of themselves, they are all sightless, and motionless. and fixed. They cordially reject the gospel. So it is with all the race, so it has ever been, and ever will be. Men are so wicked, that they will not be saved by a holy Redeemer, and a holy scheme .- We are prepared, then, to remark, in the

IVth place-That those who are saved, will be saved because God does it by the re- newing of the Holy Ghost. If the last point which I suggested be true, that all are dis- posed to reject the scheme, then it would seem to follow, that if any are saved, it will be by the special agency of God. To ac- complish this, it is supposed he has sent down his Holy Spirit into the world. In the discharge of his great official work, he arrests the attention of heedless sinners. He does it by applying the preached gospel,

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by leading the thoughts in a proper manner in the dispensations of his Providence,-by blessing the example and conversation of parents brothers, and friends, or by a se- cret, silent influence, known only to the in- dividual, drawing the thoughts along to eternity, producing distaste to the ways and wages of sin, and a panting and breathing of the soul for enjoyments suited to its na- ture. The effect of this operation of the Spirit is not to produce inactivity or slumber. It is not compulsion. No man is compelled, against his will, to be saved. The work of salvation, and the work of damnation, are the two most deliberate and solemn acts of choosing, that mortal man ever performs.

The Spirit of God acts on the will. He goes before the convicted sinner to remove obstacles ; he pours light into the mind ; he impresses truth ; he urges to duty. He calls up the sinners own activity ; and the guilty man, sensible now of his danger, commences the most mighty and persevering struggle in which he ever engages, that to secure the salvation of his soul; and under the guidance of this spirit, he goes willingly and cheerfully, where he would not of himself go. to pardon and peace. There is here sup- posed to be no violation of freedom. In all this the sinner chooses freely. The spirit compels no one : he shuts out no one-if the particular influence is not given to all- as no man can maintain that it is, and as the world is full of facts to show-it is thought, that no man is injured when salva- tion is freely and sincerely offered to him ; and when he as freely and sincerely rejects it. No being in heaven or earth, but him- self, shuts him out of the blessings of re- demption. The same heaven is offered, -- the same Saviour died,-the same promises are made to him, and he has all the requisite power to comply. If he chooses to go to hell, after all this, no injustice will be done him : nor will he suffer beyond his deserts, if all other beings choose of themselves to be saved, or if Godchooses to save them, and takes the glory to himself.

It is an essential part of the scheme which I am stating, that God, not man, begins the work. In the language of the Episcopal and Methodist articles of religion, the grace of Christ "prevents"-that is, goes before the !

sinner in his efforts to be saved. God begins the work, disposes the sinner to act, and pray, and repent, and gives him pardon. God does not himself repent, but he gives grace to man to do it for himself. That this is the true statement is clear. Man himself, as we have seen, will not come to Christ, that he might have life. One man has no power to produce this change in another. The Devil surely will not do a work so un- like himself, and so injurious to his king- dom. It remains, then, that it is the work of God. In the distributions of these favors, he acts by a rule that he has not made known to us. There can be no doubt that it is wise, but he has not given us the reason of it. The fact he has stated, and the world, the nations past, and present, the distant tribes of men, and this place, are full of proofs that God changes, by his power, the hearts of many ; and that there are many whose hearts are not changed-who choose not to be saved, and whom God has not yet chosen to renew and pardon. No man has a right to conclude, that he is shut out from salvation, except by the fact. If he loves sin, and will not repent and believe the gospel, he has no evidence that he will be saved ; and if he persist in this course, he will be among the reprobate and be damned, by his own choice. If he should repent and believe, he would be saved, and be among the elect, and give the glory to God.

This doctrine, that God by his spirit pre- vents. or goes before a sinner in his efforts, or commences and carries forward the work by his own power, I deem of cardinal value in the work of religion. If it be true, then it is of the utmost importance that it should be seen and felt to be true, and that the Holy Ghost should have the glory. I have no sympathy with any scheme that divides the honor with man. I have so deep a sense of the utter and total wickedness of the human heart,-of its entire opposition by nature to all that is good, and of the corrup- tion of all its best efforts, even when aided, that I involuntarily shrink from every scheme that seems to mingle in merit the pure work of the Holy Ghost, with the crude and abortive energies of my own bosom. I seek to ascribe, in this work, simple and undivided praises to God; to (To be continued.)

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History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 48

Author: First Presbyterian Church in Morristown (N.J.) Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Morristown, N.J. : "Banner" Steam Print Number of Pages: 942

Author: First Presbyterian Church in Morristown (N.J.)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Morristown, N.J. : "Banner" Steam Print
Number of Pages: 942