nevolence and genuine self-denial. 2. Since Christ exercised and expressed self-denial in heaven, before he came into the world, we may conclude there always will be self-denial there. The sacred Trinity will always give up a real good in respect to the damned, for the sake of a greater good.— They will give up the everlasting holiness and happiness of fallen angels and lost men for the sake of the most perfect exercise and manifestation of the goodness and glory of God and the highest interests of the universe. They feel the value of their holiness and happiness far more than it can ever be felt by created beings. They feel the evil of their sinfulness and misery far more than it ever can be felt either by holy or unholy creatures. But they also see and feel the full extent of the greatest good of the universe. And for this good they are willing to deny themselves all the holiness and happiness of the non-elect angels and men, and to endure their eternal sinfulness, loathsomeness, misery and tor good for a greater real benevolent good; then self-denial never consists in giving up one selfish good for another, or merely in giving up any selfish good for a benevolent one. This many have supposed to be true self-denial. And in support of their opinion they adduce Christ's command to pluck out a right eye, or to cut off a right hand, or right foot. But a right eye, a right hand, or a right foot is a real good and may be justly desired; and may be as really and as greatly desired in the spirit of benevolence as in the spirit of selfishness. Christ does not say a right eye sin, a right hand sin, or a right many unwisely say. a right eye, or hand, or foot from the body, is to give up a real and desirable good in the spirit of benevolence and self-denial, which consists in giving up any real personal good, that may be justly desired, for the sake of God and his kingdom and people. If selfdenial consists in giving up a selfish good for a benevolent one, then no benevolent being can ever exercise self-denial. For benevolent beings have no selfish good to renounce. But the truth is, that none but benevolent beings ever do exercise real self-denial. foot sin; as But to sever 4. If it was right in Christ to give up a less good for a greater, then it must always be wrong to be unwilling to do it. It would have been wrong in Christ, if he had been unwilling to give up his personal interest for the general good, or any other less good for a greater. And it is always wrong in mankind to be unwilling to give up a less good for a greater. It does not alter the case what good is to be given up, whether our own or the good of others; whethernatural or spiritual good; whether temporal or eternal good. Every less good, however great and of whatever nature, is always to be given up for a greater good. And they, who refuse to do so, act selfishly and wickedly. 5. If Christ's selfdenial consisted in his giving up a less good for a greater, then selfdenial is inseparably connected with happiness and naturally connected with the greatest happiness. Christ's selfdenial was inseparably connected with happiness, though his happiness was once interrupted; and it was finally connected with the greatest happiness. This must always be the case. For they, who have the spirit of self-denial, always esteem and enjoy the greater good for which they give up a less good. And the greater good is the highest good of the universe. As every thing under the divine government is made subservient to the highest good of the universe, they who have the spirit of disinterested benevolence and selfdenial, possess and enjoy all things. They rejoice always and they rejoice in all things. Their joy is full. In proportion to their capacity and benevolence they are as happy as God, who is most blessed forever. It is giving up a less good for a greater, that makes God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and angels, and saints most joyful and happy. They are perfectly satisfied with the greater good for which they sacrifice the less good. 6. If Christ has the spirit of self-denial, then when sinners become christians, they have the same spirit. The apostle says"If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." And again, "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away; and, behold, all things are become new." Let a person only change his heart from selfishness to self-denial, and he changes the universe. God and his decrees, and his conduct, and law; Jesus Christ, and all the doctrines, and duties, and blessings of gospel; are new, and good, and lovely, and glorious to a person, who truly turns from himself.This must be a great change,For a person, who so changes himself, changes all things in respect to himself-he changes in respect to himself every being, object and event in the universe. 7. Real christians will manifest the spirit of selfdenial. They feel it and they cannot conceal it without the greatest and most shameful hypocrisy. 8. Nothing but their total selfishness, which is perfect sinfulness, ever prevents sinners from loving Christ and embracing the gospel and possessing and enjoying all things. "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Whether Paul planted the churches in Galatia or not, it is certain, that he preached the gospel among them, and for a time was greatly esteemed. But after he left them, there came along certain Judaizing teachers, who preached contrary to Paul, and led many into great and fundamental errors. Such conduct both in the deceivers and deceived, was very alarming to the apostle, who wrote this epistle, on purpose to convince them of their guilt and danger. He seems to be astonished, that those, who had been taught the pure doctrines of the gospel, should so suddenly renounce the most important truths and imbibe the most destructive errors. He begins his address in this spirited manner; "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him, that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gos pel; which is not another; but there be some, that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed.". Though the apostle implicitly blames the Galatians for embracing false doctrines, yet he more expressly and severely reprobates their false teachers. But many may be ready to ask, how Paul could with propriety censure either ministers for preaching, or hearers for receiving erroneous sentiments; for no man had been a greater stickler for error and a greater opposer of truth than he had been. Of all men, in the world, therefore, he ought to have been the most catholic towards those, who had lost the path of truth and were groping in the path of error and delusion. This difficulty, I presume, many have felt; and perhaps it has never been entirely removed from their minds. I propose, therefore, to meet this difficulty; and, if possible, to justify the apostle in his condemnation of false teachers. This subject is no less important than difficult. And its importance will, I hope, justify the attempt to place it in a clear light. No. II. Paul preached the true Gospel. That Paul preached the true gospel he abundantly asserted under divine inspiration; because his enemies frequently questioned not only the truth of his doctrines, but also the truth of his divine mission. He was born out of due time. He was the last of all the apostles.For a long while after the twelve were sent forth to preach the gospel, he remained an open and violent enemy to it. Hence after his conversion and divine call to preach the gospel, many were ready to scruple his sincerity.This gave him occasion often to assert his apostolic authority and solemnly declare that he preached the pure gospel of Christ.Knowing that the false teachers in Galatia had called the truth of his mission and of his doctrines in question, he positively asserts the truth of both, in the beginning of his epistle to the Galatians. His first words are," Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead." And in the eleventh and twelfth verses of the first chapter, he affirms, that he preached the true gospel of Christ. " But I certify you brethren, that the gospel, which was preached of me is not For I neither receiv after man. ed it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." This gospel, which Paul 24 received immediately from Christ, he most fully and faithfully preached. In his farewell address to the elders of Ephesus he said, "I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." He told the Corinthians that he had not handled the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commended himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Thus it appears that Paul understood and preached the gospel. And by the gospel we are to understand, that scheme of religious sentiments, which is comprised in the purpose of redemption by the divine Redeemer. God from eternity determined to save a certain number of mankind. And in order to effect this object, he determined that mankind should become sinners and need a Savior; that Christ, the second person in the Trinity, should become incarnate, suffer and die to make an atonement for sin; that the Holy Spirit should convince and convert all those, who were ordained to eternal life, and finally conduct them to heaven; and that all things should be so ordered throughout the universe, as eventually to accomplish the great work of redemption.— This is the sum and substance of the gospel, which Christ revealed to Paul, and which he plainly and faithfully preached. No. III. The false teachers, whom the apostle condemned, preached another gospel. And versive of the true gospel, which If Paul perfectly understood the true gospel, then he perfectly knew whether the false teachers preached the same gospel, which Christ revealed to him, or anothscheme of sentiments, which was subversive of the gospel of Christ. And he expressly declares, that they did preach another gospel, or another scheme of sentiments, which was totally inconsistent with the true gospel, that he had preached, and that the Galatians unto you, than that we have had once believed. "I marvel preached unto you, let him be that ye are so soon removed from accursed. As we said before, so him, that called you into the say I now again, if any man preach grace of Christ, unto another gos- any other gospel unto you, than pel." By him, that called them that ye have received, let him be into the grace of Christ, he meant accursed." I repeat what I say, himself, who had been the instru- that I may be fully understood.ment of their conversion. And I mean to declare, by divine auhe marvels, that they had so soon thority, that if I, or any other inrenounced the gospel, which he spired apostle, should preach any had preached to them, to embrace other gospel, or scheme of sentianother gospel, or a scheme of ments, than that I have preached religious sentiments directly con- unto you, and you believed, let trary to that which he had taught him be accursed. And I further them. But he proceeds to say, affirm, by the same authority, that that the scheme of sentiments, if any other man, who has not which they had embraced, was not been inspired, should preach any properly another gospel. "Which other gospel, than the true gospel is not another; but there be some of Christ, let him also be accursed. that trouble you, and would per- I do not pronounce a curse upon vert the gospel of Christ." This every man, who shall embrace and was as much as to say, The gos- inculcate any religious error; but pel, which your false teachers I do pronounce a curse upon evehave preached is not worthy of ry man, who shall embrace and the name of the gospel, but is a preach another gospel, or a scheme of sentiments totally sub- scheme of religious sentiments, I |
