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CHAPTER IV.

THE GENERAL DUTIES OF CHURCH MEMBERS IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY.

I. THEY should seek to acquire clear and enlarged views of divine truth.

It is a fact which cannot be questioned, that a very large proportion of those whom we believe to be real Christians, are mere babes in knowledge. They have just enough instruction to know that they are sinners, and that salvation is all of grace through Christ Jesus. But ask them to state, prove, and defend, in a scriptural manner, any one of the leading doctrines of the gospel, and you would immediately discover how contracted is their view, and how feeble is their perception of divine truth. Instead of walking amidst the splendid light and varied scenery of revelation, with the confidence and joy of men whose vision is clear and strong, they are groping along with the fear and hesitation of those who are partially blind. This in most cases is their fault, and not their misfortune merely. We are commanded to grow in knowledge; and the Apostle in the following very severe language reproved the believing Hebrews for their ignorance." When for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the or

acles of God." After this he exhorts them to leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and go on to perfection. How earnestly in other parts of his writings did he supplicate for the churches an increase of their religious knowledge. Eph. i. 17, 18. Colos. i. 9. It is very common for ministers to complain that they are almost afraid to ascend to the loftier parts of revealed truth, lest a great portion of their hearers should be unable to follow them, and reproach them with ascending to barren and almost inaccessible summits.

The causes of this deficiency of religious knowledge in our members are numerous and various. In many cases the want of a religious education contributes to it. Not a few of them are brought in from the world, when they are far advanced in life. There is with many a more culpable cause; I mean a systematic neglect of the subject. "What," they exclaim, "will head knowledge do for us; we are for experience; experience is every thing in religion." What kind of experience that is which is not founded on knowledge, I am at a loss to conceive. With such people, ignorance appears to be the mother of devotion. It should be recollected that it is in the spiritual world, as it is in the natural; the seed of the kingdom is sown in the light, and light is essential to every stage of its growth. If that be not right knowledge which does not produce feeling, certainly that is not right feeling which is not produced by knowledge. They who have only head knowledge dwell in the frigid zone of christianity; and they who have only feeling, occupy the torrid zone. The former are frozen amidst mere cold and

heartless speculation, the latter are scorched amidst wild fanaticism.

How much more real enjoyment of the truth is possessed by him who clearly and comprehensively understands it; and how much more useful is he likely to be in communicating instruction, than the individual who barely understands first principles. Every professing Christian, at least all those who have leisure for reading, should endeavour to unite the knowledge of a good theologian, with the experience of a real believer.

In order to this, let Christians set apart time not only for reading but studying the scriptures; let them read theological books which explain and prove the doctrines of the gospel; let them commit to memory the admirable definitions of these doctrines contained in the Assembly's Shorter Catechism; let them attend upon the preaching of the word with a view not only to be comforted, but to be instructed. The exclusive object for which some persons hear sermons, is to obtain a little comfort. They sit waiting and watching for some sweet and savoury assurance, some well known hacknied consolatory topic, some lively appeal to the experience, and until this comes, they think lightly of every thing else. The minister may have given the clearest elucidation of some dark and doubtful passage, the most profound discussion of some sublime doctrine, the most masterly defence of some disputed truth; but to the mere comfort hunters, all this is nothing else than the husk or the shell, which is to be cracked and thrown away for the kernel of a little Christian experience. From such sermons they go home, with hun

gry and cheerless appetites, complaining that they have

found it a lost opportunity.

Let me not be mistaken.

Comfort ought to be sought for, but always through the medium of knowledge. The best warmth is that which comes not from ardent spirits, but from the sun, which sends his heat to the frame in those beams which convey light to the eye. The fact is, that some people's religion is of that weak unhealthy kind, which is supported only by elixirs and cordials.

After all, I am constrained to confess, that the darkness which rests upon the mind of the church member, is the result, in some cases, of that cloudiness which envelopes the mind of the pastor; if there is ignorance in the pew, it is because there is so little knowledge in the pulpit. When the preacher dwells on nothing but a few hacknied commonplace topics of an experimental or consolatory nature; when all the varied and sublime parts of revealed truth are neglected for one unceasing round of beaten subjects; when a text is selected from time to time which requires no study to understand, no ability to expound; when nothing is heard from one Sabbath to another, but the same sentiments in the same words, until the introduction of a new or original conception would startle the congregation almost as much as the entrance of a spectre; who can wonder, if, under such circumstances, the congregation should grow tired of their preacher; or if such drowsy tinklings should lull the fold, till with their shepherd they sink to the slumbers of indifference, amidst the thickening gloom of religious ignorance?

II. Advancement in religion is incumbent on every professing Christian.

As the usual mode of admission to our churches, subjects their members to a scrutiny of their conduct, it is considered by many as a kind of ordeal, which being passed with success, remits them from any solicitude about farther improvement. A kind of indelible character is then impressed upon them, which is susceptible of neither increase nor improvement. I do not mean to say that they come deliberately to such a conclusion, or that they are aware of any such opinion being in their mind; but having passed their trials. with honour, they insensibly acquire the idea, that now they are professed and acknowledged Christians, that their religion is admitted to be genuine, that they are put amongst the disciples, and therefore the same anxiety is no longer necessary. Often and often have we seen, especially in the case of young persons, that the act of joining the church, has in some measure diminished the earnestness with which their minds were formerly directed to the subject of religion. They were growing rapidly as babes in Christ, till the consciousness of being a church member, and acknowledged a Christian, either by generating pride, or relaxing diligence, has paralyzed their piety, arrested their growth, and left them dwarfs in grace for ever after.

We should consider that religion is not an abstract thing of times, places, and ceremonies; nor is the religious character formed by any single compliance, however public or however solemn. If it were admitted that regeneration is an instantaneous change, in which the whole character of a child of God is formed at once,

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