and the learned Gentile, took great offence at the doctrine of a crucified Saviour; and he could not but see, that Christianity would be more favourably entertained by both, if that offence was removed; and the Gospel reduced to a scheme of mere morality ratified by Divine Authority; and inforced by stronger assurances of rewards and punishments than had ever been given before. And such is the favourite scheme, which, under the name of Christianity, to which it bears no affinity, is now taken up, and propagated with so much zeal and confidence.. The Unitarian of the present day, (as he is commonly though improperly distinguished,) is, in a great measure, what the blind unconverted Jew was in St. Paul's day. He believes in one God. So likewise did the Jew. He has a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Similar to this was the record which St. Paul bare to the religious character of his countrymen; Rom. x. 2. The Unitarian, upon the ground of a supposed moral perfection, goes about to establish his own righteous ness; ness; and cannot submit himself to the righteousness of God. Such was precisely the case with the unbelieving Jew. Now if the condition of the Jew under these circumstances had been a safe one; St. Paul's anxiety for the salvation of his countrymen would have been vain; and the continual sorrow which he felt, for the hopeless state of those who knew not Christ, been feeling thrown away; Rom. ix. The Jews were desirous of being saved; but were strangers to the plan on which salvation was to be obtained. Whilst therefore the Apostle gives them some credit for their sincerity, he laments their blindness and delusion. At the same time he faithfully executes his commission towards them, by boldly preaching to them Christ crucified, as "the power of God unto salvation." And all Ministers, who would not basely betray the cause they are professionally bound to maintain, must follow St. Paul's example. The world has been told, that a good moral life contains the whole sum and substance of the Christian Religion; and a man may do well, nay better without any acquaintance acquaintance with the Christian mysteries: that Christianity would recommend itself to more general acceptance, if these mysterious and offensive doctrines, as they are called, did not constitute a part of it: and as a powerful argument in favour of this plan of general conversion, we are told, that if we would succeed with Jews and Mahometans, the stumbling block of Christ's divinity must be moved out of the way*. What is this but to deceive men with a name, by dressing out a sort of splendid morality, and calling it Christianity; and then flattering ourselves that we are making converts to the Christian Religion. Whereas this is in truth, not bringing the Jew and Mahometan up to Christianity, by preaching to them those doctrines which constitute the distinguishing characteristics of the Christian Faith; but bringing Christianity down to them; by removing every thing out of it, but what we may be supposed to hold in common with them. This plan of extending the Christian communion at the expence of the Christian Faith, Dr. Priestley's "Importance of Free Inquiry." by by so generalizing our creed, that persons of any persuasion may find no difficulty in subscribing to it, may answer the purpose of enlarging our congregations; but in that case they will be congregations of unbelievers, rather than what they were designed to be. Had the Christian Religion been of this very comprehensive nature, or had the first preachers of it thought fit to have adopted such easy and conciliatory measures, for the sake of making converts to it; instead of preaching up the Faith as it is in Christ Jesus; the history of the Church would have presented us with a very different scene from what it does at present; and the Apostles and Martyrs might have died natural deaths. But they who reason thus, are surely unacquainted with the nature of the Christian Dispensation; which represents faith and practice as connected with each other; the former considered as the root, from which the latter, as the branch, derives its support. "I am tl e vine, (said Christ to his disciples,) ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." Practical holiness, on a right principle, is the genuine fruit of Christianity consequently it can thrive only, in proportion as the doctrines of Christianity are received in the world. None but fools look for grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles. None but those who are “spoiled through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ," expect to gather the fruit of Christianity from the stock of heathenism. The world has been told moreover" that the only essential article of its religion is the doctrine of the Resurrection from the dead." In conformity with which idea, it has been said, that "should there be found a man, who really believes in a future life of retribution, and governs his conduct by that faith, so as to be as perfect a character as a Christian; to him Christianity would be superfluous. What is all Religion, continues the same paradoxical writer, * but a means to a certain * Dr. Priestley's "Importance of Free Inquiry." end? |