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temper of love and compassion toward those who have differed from them in opinion, which seem necessary to prove the sincerity of their professions? If this should be allowed, how can we account for all the persecutions which have characterised the christian churches for ages? How shall we account for that mutual bitterness, coldness and deeply rooted prejudice visible among different denominations, and by which they have so much disturbed the peace of society and of the world? There is nothing of importance ever maintained in the religious creeds of men, that does not either tend to make them better, or worse; and that character which we attribute to the divine Being, will more or less mingle itself in our own characters. Hence we account for the endeavors of the Saviour to present our Father in heaven, in a character which he would have his disciples acquire for themselves. He knew if men entertain an opinion that the divine Being loves those who love him and hates those who hate him, they would be likely to imitate what they attribute to God. He very well knew that this was the case with the people of his day, he knew it had been the case in past ages, and he knew that like causes would produce like effects; and therefore as long as men should religiously believe that God loves some and hates others, be knew that bitterness and strife would continue. From this thick cloud of darkness, from this deadly error the doctrine of divine love to the enemies of God, is the only deliverance. It makes not the least difference whether we profess to be Christians, Jews, Pagans or Mahometans, if we believe that God is an enemy to those who are enemies to him, we shall be likely to exercise the same spirit and disposition which we believe our Father in heaven possesses; and we shall justify ourselves in so doing by the divine

authority. Those who have and maintain this erroneous belief, are seldom if ever at a loss to know who the friends of God are, and who are his enemies. They are persuaded that they have the true faith, that they are the friends of God, and of course God is their friend; loves them, and will do good to them; but those who subscribe not to the same particular creed, are enemies to God, are the objects of his wrath and of their most bitter enmity. Such people will effect great concern for those whom they esteem as the enemies of the true faith, and will frequently exhort them to make God their friend, to delay no time in bringing themselves to those terms and to that condition which will secure the good will of our Father who is in heaven. But the only way that this can be done, is to become conformed to the particular creed and formalities of those who stile themselves the friends of God. Why did not our blessed Redeemer in the room of teaching men that their Father in heaven loves his enemies, and that they must love their enemies in order to be like him, exhort them, as we are frequently exhorted, to make our Father in heaven our friend? Answer, because such an exhortation implies that God is no better than the publicans, who love those that love them, and is calculated to maintain all the partiality in faith and practice from which Jesus came to save the world.

To conclude; Let us, my brethren, endeavor to seek to the foundation of our religion, learn the true character of our Father in heaven, and be cautious that we never consent to any belief, which in any way involves the notion that God ever was or ever can be an enemy to any of the works of his hands. And on the immoveable rock of God's impartial love to all men, let our faith and our hope rest; but not forgetting that the benefits of this heavenly doctrine of love divine can never be real

ised, until it works in us a conformity to its réquirements, and brings us into that heavenly temper and spirit by which we shall love our enemies, do good to them that hate us, and pray in faith, nothing doubting, for those who despitefully use us and persecute us. Let us open our eyes to the visible signs of the love and goodness of God, and read the instructive lectures, which are delivered by a beneficent providence every day and every hour, and by them learn that wisdom which is from above, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."

No. 3.

LECTURE SERMON,

DELIVERED AT THE

SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,

AUGUST 30, 1818.

BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR

Published Semi-Monthly, by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.

GALATIANS, iii. 21.

"Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid.”

By the manner of the Apostle's writing in this epistle, it appears evident that christians, even as early as the time of the Apostles, were strongly inclined to the opinion, that the works of the law were necessary to give validity and efficacy to the gospel of Jesus Christ. To this agrees the account we have in the 15th of Acts, where we are informed that "certain men, which came down from Judea" to Antioch, "taught the brethren and said, except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved." From such sentiments it appears the Apostle labored with great earnestness to dissuade his brethren. The chapter from which our text is chosen begins as follows; "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you; received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh ?" A

little attention to this subject will discover that by law and flesh the author means the same thing. He endeavoured to explain to his christian brethren the design and utility of the law, and to show that it had neither power to give the life of faith, or to render the promises of the gospel covenant without effect. He stated the important question on which his whole argument rested, and answered it in our text; "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid." Whatever is contained in the promises of God, be it ever so much or ever so good, it is not in the least subject to be rendered null or even diminished in the least degree by the law; and on the other hand the promises of God do in no wise frustrate the law, but the doctrine of the divine promises does in fact establish the law. To this effect are the words of the Apostle to the Romans; "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid ! yea, we establish the law." Moreover Jesus himself said; "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

Our first enquiry may be directed to ascertain what is contained in the promises of God. This subject is of the utmost importance, and if duly considered cannot fail to engage the attention of the hearer, and draw the mind of each individual present to an entire devotion to the enquiry proposed. The audience will not feel, on this subject, an idle indifference scarcely to be avoided while listening to declamations, authorised only by human imaginations. Nor can any part of the congregation feel a less interest in the subject than the rest, for the promises about to be examined are expressive of the will of our Father in heaven, of whose divine bounty we are all equal heirs.

It is natural for children to listen with attention

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