THE following essay was written by Father Campbell, thirty-two years ago, then in his sixty-fifth year:

      Christianity consists not in speculation and theory, but in faith and obedience, with a direct reference to law and testimony. It is a practical, and not a speculative subject, having for its proper and immediate object the holiness and happiness of mankind, which consists in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Does it not, therefore, follow, of necessary consequence, that a state of things like the present, which is founded in, and maintained by, speculation and controversy, is in direct hostility to the nature and design of it? Is it not the natural tendency of such a state of things, to turn away the mind to vain janglings which have no proper and immediate connection with faith and holiness? Must not the conscientious and intelligent, under such circumstances, feel deeply embarrassed to determine for themselves among such a diversity of sects and parties? And is it not the interest and concern of each sect to increase its number? Does not this naturally induce the leaders, and the zealous of every name, to advocate and maintain, with all their argumentative powers, their peculiar and distinguishing principles? And does not this give a peculiar turn to their public addresses, so that instead of Christ and him crucified, [235] and the obedience of faith which he requires, with the practical duties and privileges of the obedient believer, we frequently hear the peculiarities of the party stated and defended? Have not all the parties, also, their favorite authors? And are not all these exhibitions of sentiment zealously presented to the consideration of the conscientious inquirer? Hence, it not unfrequently happens to such, (and must, indeed, always happen, if they do themselves the justice of acting consistently,) that the better part of a lifetime is spent before they can come to a determination. And, after all this ado of research and inquiry, do we not find the most judicious and intelligent of all parties declaring that they are still upon the lookout, still open to conviction, still hold themselves in readiness to embrace truth, wherever they can find it; for they are wisely certain, that all can not be right, and humbly certain, that they themselves are not infallible; and, therefore, may, in some important respects, be still in error. And all that are not thus humble and teachable are, by the common consent of all parties, termed bigots. But, with this reserve, with this altar to the unknown God, whose motto is, WHAT IS TRUTH? these well-meaning, well-disposed people pass as good and accepted citizens in our modern Athens. Hence, with the itching ears of Athenian curiosity, amid the vast variety of teachers with which, according to prophecy, these latter times abound, they are still ready to hear some new thing. Of the truth of this mournful state of things, the writer of this address is an experienced witness. Out of sixty-five years, the age to which he has now attained, upward of twenty were spent in the important inquiry, "What is truth?"

      During this elaborate inquiry, it was his lot to come into contact with all the leading sects of the present age, from the lordly Episcopalian, through the Presbyterian, the Covenanter, the Burgher and Antiburgher Seceder, the Independents, Methodists, Moravians, Quakers, Universalians, etc., [236] down to the humble Baptists. During this elaborate and perplexing course of contention and inquiry, (for he was exhorted by all as he passed along, to "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," for which all professed to be contending,) he had to encounter and investigate the orthodox pretensions (for all professed orthodoxy) of the Trinitarians, the Arians, the Socinians, the Modern Unitarians, the Calvinists, the Arminians, the Pelagians, the Antinomians, the Papists, etc.

      And also upon Church government, the rival claims of the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Independents, and Erastians, down to the humble Baptists, who, as far as we know, have no official government at all; the stronger and more potential sects, we may suppose, having got such a fast hold of Peter's keys, of which the poor, modest, unassuming Baptists had no chance; or, perhaps, thought they could make shift to do without them, and so left the people to govern themselves.

      In the course of this elaborate investigation, many of you, brethren, must know what a vast number of minor questions, and many of them, too, of fundamental importance among the sects, came under consideration. At the close of this digression, you may be curious to know the result of this long, laborious research. I shall frankly tell you. It was much information, and little benefit. For, to my sad surprise, I found at last, that, after the labor of thirty years, I had not, with all my helps and teachers, received as much benefit; as the people did under the apostolic teaching in three hours. They came to the point at once, which I had been long in quest of; and for the sake of which, among other things, I had availed myself of our best practical writers, down from John Bunyan to Harvey's Dialogues; The Lime Street Lectures, Pike and Hayward, Shaw's Immanuel, Marshal On Sanctification, Secker's Almost Christian, Flavel's Fountain of Life Opened, Shepherd's Parable of the Ten Virgins, [237] Gurnell's Christian Armor, The Marrow of Modern Divinity, which, I suppose, are well known to many of you.

      These, with many others of the same character, and many of them more voluminous than the most of the above mentioned, occupied my serious attention. In the perusal of these, I was seriously entertained, and frequently much delighted; and, as I thought, much helped and instructed. But what was I looking for? Certainly for that which is to be immediately attained merely and only by believing and obeying the apostle's testimony, (see Acts ii, etc.,) by the belief and obedience of which the hearers immediately received the remission of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The perusal of the above works, therefore, how good soever they may be, are by no means necessary to the Christian. To lean upon them is, at best, but walking upon stilts, which the lame man, when healed by Peter's Gospel, had no more occasion for. The faith that maketh whole, and keepeth so, cometh by hearing the good word, which God hath sent to heal the nations; and for such believers only our Lord prays, (John xvii: 20,) namely, such as believe in him through the word of his apostles. Would not, then, my religious instructors have conduced more effectually to my salvation, had they, with one voice, unanimously referred me to the second chapter of Acts, instead of directing my attention to the above authors, testifying, with one consent, that unless I believed the apostles' testimony I could not be saved? that there was nothing further requisite to the remission of my sins and the reception of the Holy Spirit than what Peter taught and required his hearers to do upon that occasion. This, at least, would have left me fairly in the hands of the apostle, and would have wound up my attention, if anything in the power of man could have done it, to advert to the apostle's doctrine, as I valued my own salvation. I think it is told of the pious Thomas Bradford, of London, nicknamed the Converter, because of his success in turning sinners to God, that [238] being waggishly accosted by a profligate youth, who, seizing him by his garment, declared he wanted to be converted, and that he must convert him. The good old preacher, looking seriously upon him with an air of affectionate benevolence, replied, "If you wish to be converted, go read the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, and if you be not converted by what you'll find there, then come and tell me." The wag, having thus got to the end of his joke, thanked the old gentleman, and went his way. It seems, this kind and serious answer to his impertinent jest excited his attention to see what the wonderful fifty-third chapter of Isaiah might be, to which he had been directed with such a serious and imposing emphasis. The result, we are informed, verified the prediction. The young man returned the next evening quite penitent, bathed in tears, apologized for his wanton rudeness, confessed himself a convert, and became most affectionately attached to his venerable instructor. How much better this than to have directed him to Russel's Seven Sermons--the groans from hell, and the sighs of the damned souls; or to Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion; or The Young Man's Pathway to Heaven; or Drillingcourt Upon Death, etc. For, as our Lord assures us, if they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither would they be persuaded, though one should rise from the dead.

      Upon the whole, brethren, if the twenty years' laborious investigations into which, in the existent state of things, I was necessarily called, as a serious inquirer after truth, had, in the first instance, been spent in the investigation and study of the letter of the Holy Scriptures, how perfect, by this time, must have been my acquaintance with the sacred text, both in our translations and in the originals. Nay, I might have had it nearly all committed to memory, and, like Apollos of old, been, long ago, mighty in the Scriptures. This, however, was but a secondary consideration with my teachers. The dogmatic and polemic divinity of the schools, which has [239] opened the abyss of interminable controversy upon the Christian community, was the sine qua non; for, without a competent knowledge of this science, falsely so called, there could be no prospect either of safety or utility; for he that lives amid well-disciplined enemies, should himself be well acquainted with the use of arms. "Sed cave homini unius libri." The man of the one book, which is the sword of the Spirit, has nothing to fear; by the grace to him therein secured he shall come forth of them all.

      Again, in the second instance, when seriously desirous of experiencing that peace with God which, we are told, "passeth all understanding"--that godly confidence, love, and joy in the Holy Spirit, which appear to have been the common privilege of the first Christians--had my attention been directed, upon this inquiry, to the primitive Gospel, as exhibited on the sacred page, instead of the voluminous labors of the modern casuists and practical divines, what expense and labor, what loss of time, might have been saved for better purposes! what liberty in Christ, what comforts of his Spirit, might have been enjoyed to the best of purposes, which now can never be recovered! I say, the lost utilities, not the liberty and comfort, "can never be recovered." For, blessed be God! the Gospel institution is such, that the belief and obedience of it is inseparably connected with peace and liberty. (See Rom. v: 1-11.) I would not exchange the two short sermons of the two great apostles, Peter and Paul, recorded in the second and thirteenth chapters of the Acts, for all the practical writings mentioned in this article, with as many more as you may please to add. And if amplification, or a more full and particular illustration of the text be wanted, for the more complete satisfaction of the believer, we have it from the pen of these same apostles, and their apostolic brethren, in their Divine epistles.

      What think ye, brethren, if these heavenly-taught characters, the apostles, were to revisit, our world, and see the [240] immense and elaborate folios that have been written to explain their few short epistles, would they not conclude either that we were gone mad, or blush to think that they were such stupid blunderers to have written in such a style as has kept the world in turmoil for upward of seventeen hundred years to decipher it? as has produced more octavo pages, to render these few short epistles intelligible, than the days that have elapsed since they left the world! What would be their amazement!

      But we are not yet come to the end of this wonder, for the press is still pregnant, and is bringing forth new productions every day for this purpose. And when, or where, this wonderful procedure will terminate, we can not so much as conjecture. "Nay, Father Abraham, but if one should arise from the dead they will repent." So be it. May the voice of one lately escaped from the grave be an affectionate warning to his surviving brethren. Permit me, then, to adopt the words of Elihu, (Job xxxiii: 6:) "Behold, I am according to thy wish;"--in the stead of such a person;--"wherefore, I pray you, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words. Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth. My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart; and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. If you can answer me, set your words in order before me; stand up. Behold, my terror shall not make you afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon you," for I neither invoke nor wield the sword of persecution, civil or religious. All that invoke and adore the Lord Jesus, according to the Scriptures, in truth and righteousness, I salute as brethren; all that do not, I pity and pray for. "Surely all of you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words."

      I have spent upward of thirty of the best years of my life attending to your controversies. And now let me tell you, that the other day, when the misty darkness of the shadow of death hovered over me, when eyes and ears refused to [241] perform their wonted office, and I found myself dangling over the verge of time, as one suspended by a single hair over the vast abyss of impenetrable darkness, of untried being, not one recollection of all this labor, nor of aught that I had learned from it, occurred to my relief, or cast one single cheering ray across the impenetrable gloom, to direct my passage or comfort my heart. Then said I, Surely I have labored in vain, and spent my strength for naught and in vain. O Lord, spare me to finish what I have left undone! what I have but lately, and too feebly attempted! to warn my bewildered professing brethren, that they may do better and fare better than I have done. Now, blessed be God! my prayer is answered, and I am, as I hope, sent back for this blissful purpose. Now, therefore, "shall the opening of my mouth be of right things," even of the all-sufficiency, and alone-sufficiency, of the holy Scriptures to make the student wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus, into whose hands the proto-martyr Stephen committed his departing spirit. And how came he by this faith? Surely, just as did the rest of his brethren on the day of Pentecost.

      Read again Peter's sermon, and there you have the faith of the primitive Church. You need not go one step further than the second of the Acts to obtain the faith that brings with it remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit; for we see, the belief of this sermon served this blissful purpose to all that gladly received it; they were immediately baptized for the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and were immediately filled with peace, and joy, and every holy temper, as the text abundantly testifies. Indeed, in what does the kingdom of Christ consist, if not in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, (see Rom. xiv: 17,) which is given to them that believe? (Gal iii: 14, 22.) And was it not by baptism that all the primitive disciples entered into the kingdom? But separate remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit from baptism, or from [242] the profession of Christianity, however it be made, and what is it worth? Or can there be righteousness, peace, and joy in or by the Holy Spirit, where the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit is not enjoyed? We beseech you, brethren, consider these things.

      Again we insist upon it, that you need not go one step further than the second of Acts, either to learn or to obtain the true primitive apostolic faith; that is, the faith that bringeth immediate and actual salvation, which we there see consists in the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. But why, say you, should we stop here? And why, we reply, should you go one step further, if salvation be the object? May you not as well receive the Gospel at the lips of Peter as of Paul? Did they not both preach the same Gospel, namely, Christ, and him crucified? Or had the latter any peculiar art of making converts, different from, or superior to, the former? Hear Paul himself declare his commission, his instructions, and his practice, I Cor. i: 17, and 1 Cor. ii: 1-5: "Christ," says he, "sent me to preach the Gospel; not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect." "And, when I came unto you, I came not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God, for I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified." These things being so, may you not as well, brethren, continue with Peter at Jerusalem, as run after Paul to Corinth; for you'll not make a better of it, the subject and terms being the same. If, therefore, you can not settle the matter with Peter, neither can you do it with Paul. Besides, if you will hear Paul preach, you must go to Antioch in Pisidia, (Acts xiii,) and even there you will not have all the same advantages presented to your consideration that you meet with in the second of the same book. Consequently, as said above, you need go no further, if salvation be your object. If you can not believe and embrace the doctrine there delivered, as the three [243] thousand did, you can neither receive the remission of your sins nor the gift of the Holy Spirit, which, as Paul tells us, is only through faith. See his Epistle to the Galatians above referred to. Consequently, the business of your salvation is at a stand, and must continue so, till you believe the apostle's testimony and cheerfully embrace his exhortation, as the three thousand did.

      Please bear in mind, that we always consider and address you as professed believers in the Divine authenticity of the holy Scriptures. With our respectable fellow-citizens, the skeptics, whom our accursed divisions and barren, worthless profession (for the most part merely nominal) have prejudiced and disgusted, we, in this address, have nothing directly to do. Our charity, both for them and each other, must begin at home. Till we truly and simply embrace the apostolic Gospel, enjoy its immediate heavenly blessings, continue under, and manifest its influence, in unity and love, as the primitive believers did, we shall neither be happy in ourselves nor blessings to the world. We appeal to you, brethren, is not this a truth--a truth of the most solemn importance both to ourselves and others? And, if so, who are you, and where are you that feel it--that are disposed to advocate it? Who is on the Lord's side? Let him show himself; let him act with zeal, with prudence and decision, having his feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, speaking the truth in love, contending earnestly, not angrily, for the faith once delivered to the saints, always remembering that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

      It has been assumed in a previous portion of this address that Christianity wholly consists in faith and obedience, and, therefore, can have nothing to do with speculation or speculative controversies; because faith immediately respects testimony, and obedience, law; that these are positive things; that, therefore, if there be any supposable room for dispute, [244] it must simply respect the meaning of the terms. If these positions be indisputably true, as we believe they are, it may be asked, How, and whence, then, have originated all our destructive controversies and corruptions? We readily answer, From human pride and human folly. The vain pride of attempting to improve Christianity in the external exhibition of it in the churches, that it might vie in splendor with the pompous exhibition of the Jewish and pagan religions, and the presumptuous folly of explaining its mysteries according to the notions of the heathen philosophy, and, finally, of reducing the whole subject of Divine revelation into the form of a rational, systematic science, an attempt this, which rendered it as unfit for its primary purpose, the salvation of mankind, as the chemical process of distillation does our vegetable productions for the sustentation of animal life. The sublime productions of Aquinas, Maestricht, and Turretine, are exquisite monuments of this egregious folly. As well might we attempt to imbibe vital heat by embracing a corpse, as to derive spiritual life, light, or comfort, from the perusal of those voluminous works. Do you ask, why? The reason is obvious: these are the works of men, not of God. Not from heaven, to make us spiritually wise unto salvation; but from the pride and folly of man, to make us metaphysically and logically wise unto disputation. Vain man would be wise, though man be born a wild ass's colt, (Job xi: 12.) Wise, indeed, in his own way; wise above what is written; yea, constructively wiser than God, for he would improve upon his works.

      The mysteries of Christianity, did you say? Are we then to believe mysteries, things that we do not understand? Yes, brethren, and great mysteries too, if we believe the apostle. "For, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit," etc.--1 Tim. iii: 16. "The Word was God." And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us"--John i: 1, 14. Also, [245] "By faith we know that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."--Heb. xi: 3. Are not these great mysteries; yet, do we not believe them? Surely we do, and that without any difficulty, because of the Revealer. If we can not believe God, we are not rational subjects, capable of moral government, consequently can not be governed by him; much less are we his genuine children, for children can believe their parents' declarations. How the things contained in the above propositions can be, we do not understand, therefore, do not pretend to explain them; but what is declared concerning them we do understand, and therefore are qualified to believe them. In this same way, then, we believe all Divine mysteries. This faith, certainly, we owe to the Divine testimony, and in many instances to human testimony too, though not in matters of religion; that is, of faith and obedience. But did not the three thousand believers on the day of Pentecost, believe the propositions in Peter's sermon?

      Now, surely, if they understood them, so may we; for they never heard them before that day, nor, indeed, any one else; for, from the creation of the world to that same day, the things that were then seen and heard had never been exhibited to the eyes or ears, of mortals. And can we conceive of a more singular and mysterious exhibition, either in word or in fact? The things seen and heard were perfectly new and astonishing: the stupendous sound from heaven; the cloven tongues of fire; the instantaneous gift of tongues; the annunciation of the resurrection, and exaltation of the crucified Nazarene to the right hand of God in the highest heavens; the declaration that he was the author of all they saw and heard; and of the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, to all that should repent of their sin in rejecting him, and be baptized into his name. Now, can we easily imagine any concatenation of events more mysterious and incomprehensible [246] than this? Howbeit, all that believed these mysterious propositions upon the evidence before them were, of course, in the first place, convinced of the sin charged against them; and, in the next place, of pardon and the gift of the Spirit upon their being baptized; with which complying, they were filled with the blissful privileges of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

      A short history, this, of the conversion and salvation of three thousand. It was the business of but one day; nevertheless, we learn that the work was well done, that it was permanent, for they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, both in what they had been taught and in what was afterward delivered. Had they been arrested upon the very threshold of inquiry, as we are, with all the curious questions and elaborate decisions, down from the Council of Nice to that of Trent, (which latter continued its sittings for eighteen years, to fix with precision the doctrines of the Church,) may we not well suppose that, instead of the work of one hour, it must, at least, have been the work of thirty years to have produced the same certainty of faith.

      But, do you say, what have we to do with all those questions and controversies? We say so too. Nay, more: what have we to do with any questions and controversies at all? but just to receive the apostles' doctrine, as the first believers did, and abide in it, asking no questions but what the apostles have stated and answered, upon the entire subject of our faith and obedience; admitting nothing into our Churches, either as to doctrine, or practice, or manner of teaching, or terms of communion, or ministerial qualifications, or government, etc., but what we find taught, enjoined, and practiced in the primitive Churches, by apostolic authority and approbation. Now this is the very thing we plead for, neither more nor less. What do you say to this, brethren? Are you satisfied with it? If so, come with us, or, rather, we will [247] go with you; for we love to follow with the majority, when they follow the apostles, as THEY also followed Christ.

      We say again, what have we to do with controversy, either respecting the negation or explanation of the mysteries of God, either with respect to their existence or import, but merely as the Scripture declares and reveals?--the mystery of God, even of the Father, and of Christ?--that great mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh?--the mystery of faith, etc.? (See Col. ii: 2; 1 Tim. iii: 9-16.) The truth is, either the apostles explained these mysteries, or they did not. If the former, we have their explanation; if the latter, we accept them as mysteries, and hold them so; and, in either case, we are neither better nor worse taught than the Jerusalem converts were, for they received the apostles' doctrine just as they delivered it. Let us, then, go and do likewise; and, instead of hatred and persecution, we shall, like them, dwell together in love and unity.

      What have we, therefore, further to do with the controversy "whether there be or be not mysteries in our holy religion?" And, if possible, have we not still less to do with the various and contradictory explanations with which the metaphysical and angelical doctors have favored us? And least of all have we to do with the jargon of fictitious mysteries which the mystics and fanatics, ancient and modern, have invented and taught. In receiving the mysterious definitions of the former, and the feigned mysteries of the latter, has not the Christian world, for upward of fifteen hundred years, been involved in the mystery of iniquity, (see 2 Thes. ii: 1-12,) the baneful effects of which have been persecutions, rapine, and blood? Is it, not, then, high time for us to have done with such things? to return, with the primitive disciples, to take our proper place at the apostles' feet.

      Again, we appeal to you, brethren, (for we wish to act in concert with all and every one of you who are disgusted and [248] aggrieved with the present state of things among us,) is there any medium between the course we advocate and being entangled in the aforesaid evils? If there be, we shall thank you for the discovery, and cheerfully embrace it. For our part, we do solemnly assure you we can conceive of no other that would completely exculpate and disentangle us from the evils complained of, and prevent a relapse. Whereas, if we accept the apostles as our immediate teachers, and continue in their doctrine, as the first Christians did, we shall be at once and forever delivered from all post factum doctrines, and explanations of doctrine, not contained in their writings. And although this might not be so agreeable to our metaphysical doctors and philosophizing theorists, nor yet to the itching ears and corrupt taste of many among us, having no tendency to make us wise to disputation, yet, inasmuch as it would make us wise to salvation, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, we should have no reason to complain, nor should any have reason to complain of us; for, as the apostle says, (Rom. xiv: 12,) when speaking of the things in which Christianity does really consist, (viz., "in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit,") "he that in these things serveth Christ, is pleasing to God, and approved of men."

      Seeing, then, that by taking this way, in which we are divinely assured we should be made free, there being nothing that could be fairly alleged against us, why should we not embrace it? Or why should we rather appeal to Cæsar? If we foolishly do so, to avoid, as we suppose, some alleged inconveniences, we should remember that to Cæsar we must go. We must, in justice both to ourselves and to others, hear with both ears on every topic, before we can either judge for ourselves or condemn others.

      Now, do we not condemn, as being wrong, all from whom we separate? If not, how do we justify ourselves in separating from them? Or is sectarian separation a matter of such trivial importance that we may indulge in it without [249] any reason at all? Has not the Council of Trent as good a right to be heard as the Council of Westminster, commonly called the Westminster Assembly? Was not the former called by the greatest ecclesiastical power in Christendom, the latter only by the supreme civil power of Great Britain? Did not the former consist of a much greater number of learned doctors, and continue its sittings more than three times longer than the latter? How, then, can any of us justly condemn the decisions of either without a fair and candid hearing? The same will as justly apply to the sect that sprang up yesterday, and held its first humble council in yonder barn. How dare we, how can we, upon principles, reject them, or they reject all others, without a fair and impartial hearing? Can there be anything more rude, more fastidious, and, in many cases, more unreasonable, too, than to reject and condemn without a hearing?

      Will you, then, brethren, still appeal unto Cæsar? If you do, you see that, by every acknowledged principle of law and justice, you are bound over, and to Cæsar you must go. There is no alternative, for, as we have seen, both your own safety and common justice requires it.

      As for ourselves, we think, upon the whole, that David's choice, upon a certain distressing emergency, is the best we can make in existing circumstances. "I am in a great strait," said he: "let us now fall into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great; and not into the hand of man."--2 Sam. xxiv: 14. So say we, and do utterly decline and reject all interference of human authority, dictation, and invention in matters of religion; that is, of faith and practice. There are many things historical, prophetical, and typical; many things respecting the geography and chronology of the holy Scriptures, the manners and customs of the nations, etc., that do not immediately respect our faith and obedience, and that all have not all opportunity of investigating; the knowledge of which may, nevertheless, be satisfactory and edifying. Upon [250] these subjects, we thankfully accept the labors of the learned and studious, as we do also in verbal criticisms and improvements of our translation of the originals, for the better understanding of the letter. But availing ourselves of all these advantages, as we reasonably ought, (for we think we ought to be as well acquainted with the letter of the Scriptures as scholars are with the profane classics,) we take our seat at the feet of our inspired teachers, and think ourselves as safe in this position as the primitive disciples were. What they declare of things unseen, (which are the proper objects of faith,) we believe; what they command and teach, we hold ourselves, as in duty bound, in readiness to obey. And while we diligently advert to what they declare, we find sufficient exercise for our faith, as we also do for our obediential powers, while we closely attend to what they teach and enjoin. Upon the whole, in neither respect do we perceive any deficiency which could be supplied to our advantage; for believing what they declare, and obeying what they command, we find amply sufficient to make us as happy and as perfect characters as we can be in this imperfect state. Look, for instance, at our quondam brethren, formerly of the Church of Jerusalem, who had no other nor better helps than we have, in as far as teaching is concerned, and, if in other respects, we know not; for the line promise of the Spirit (into the faith of which they were baptized) is given equally to all that believe the same Gospel they believed; "even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

      But, happy people, they were as yet in quiet possession of the faith then delivered to the saints. The mystical and metaphysical doctors had not yet profaned it with their pestiferous breath--their vain, airy speculations. Origen, the allegorizing mystagogue, nor Ammonius Saccas, the compromising Platonist, were not yet born. The Nicene Council had not yet sat to determine the no less curious than important question (as it was afterward thought) concerning the [251] specific nature of Christ, "whether it was homousian, or homoousian with the Father's;" that is, whether he was of the same or of a similar nature with the Father. Neither had the Sabellian controversy yet agitated the Church, about the proper personality of the Son and Holy Spirit. Nor had the important doctrines of the eternal generation of the former, and of the eternal procession of the latter, yet found their way into the language of man. Nor had the Council of Constantinople yet determined the important question of the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father. Nor yet the Council of Trent, the mysterious transubstantiation of the bread and wine, in the Supper, (of which these good people were stated partakers,) into the real body and blood of Christ. The equally mysterious doctrine of consubstantiation was, also, yet unknown. So was, also, the mysterious doctrine of purgatory, long since discovered in the second topic of Peter's text: "David is not yet ascended into the heavens." "Well, say the Romish doctors, "David certainly did not go to hell;" therefore, there must be some third, some middle place, which we properly call Purgatory; consequently, David must, at that time, have been in purgatory. Thus, and thus, have the doctors taught.

      O ye Jerusalem converts, good, easy, credulous people, how many deep, important points lay concealed in your faith, of which ye were not aware! Yea, what mysteries in your practice too! [252]

[METC 235-252]