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Such as these Lectures are, they are the result of a long, candid, and diligent search after truth; and as such, they are humbly submitted to the candid investigation and impartial judgment of the Christian world.

THE AUTHOR.

Philadelphia, Nov. 5th, 1818.

A SERIES OF LECTURES, &c.

LECTURE I.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true. God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.-JOHN, xvii. 3.

IN these Lectures, several things will be taken for granted: 1. that there is one God, who is the only proper object of supreme worship and adoration; and, 2. that God has not only revealed himself to his creatures through the medium of the great volume of nature, which is open to the inspection of all, but also through the medium of his son Jesus Christ, who is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his moral character. For, notwithstanding these are proper subjects of discussion, and would not be refused on a proper occasion, yet they are foreign from our present purpose; and the discussion of them seems less necessary, since, as it must be admitted, "the invisible things of him (i. e. of God) from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Deity :" so, as it should seem, none but the fool can have the audacity to say in his heart, "there is no God!" The discussion of these subjects is also rendered unnecessary, in all Christian assemblies, by the consideration, that Christians of every sect and denomination admit the truth of divine revelation; "the record which God has given of his Son." Hence it is useless to take up time to prove that which will be ad

mitted by all, or, at least, by all with whom at present we have any concern.

When we appeal to the holy scriptures, therefore, in support of any fact, unless it can be shown that the particular passage is either spurious, or else erroneously translated, it will be taken for granted that the evidence is conclusive.

It will be our business this evening to urge, not only the importance of the subject, but the necessity of attending to the same; and therefore this lecture will be designed merely as an introduction; and as such, it is thought the text is peculiarly appropriate. And this is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

How great, how important the subject! Was there ever one of equal magnitude proposed to the consideration of man? All other subjects, all other attainments, sink into nothing, when brought in competition with eternal life. For however valuable other attainments may be, in themselves considered, yet their use to us is but of short duration; and the time is approaching when they will cease to afford us consolation. Let us learn then to use the things of the world as not abusing them, knowing that the world and the fashions thereof are passing away. And when the things of time and sense fail us, what an aching void would be left in each of our souls, could we not lay hold on something more sublime, and more permanent! Eternal life is the cordial which we need; it is the healing and sovereign balm for all our

woes.

If any thing be due, by way of gratitude or respect, to men of learning and science, who have spent their days in the discovery of the useful arts, in unfolding the riches of nature, by which the state of man is meliorated, and society improved, what shall we say of HIM through whom life and immortality are brought to light? who unfolded, not the treasures of earth, but the riches of heaven? whose kingdom was not of this world? who made manifest the glorious purposes of the Deity in the reconciliation and restitution of all things? who not only

taught the infinitude of God's love to man, but gave full proof of the doctrine in praying for his murderous enemies while in the agonies of death? who thus set the glorious example of universal benevolence? He was surely no less than the "power of God and the wisdom of God," as manifested in human nature. What shall we say of his disciples and followers, who not only maintained his doctrine at the risk of their lives, but defended it even in the hour of death? Can we suppose that such ardour, and such faithfulness, when they could not have promised themselves any thing of a worldly nature as a reward, was the effect of any thing short of the knowledge of the truth?

Our text implies that, not only a knowledge of God, but also, that a knowledge of Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent, is necessary to eternal life; or, at least, whether life eternal can be communicated in any other way or not, the text assures us that this knowledge is eternal life. The ancient philosophers of Egypt, of Greece, and of Rome, had all the means, except that which is revealed in the holy scriptures, of knowing God: yet how destitute were they of eternal life! So far from enjoying it at all, they were "alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance there was in them;" and all their ideas of a future state of existence were confused, dark, and obscure. Filled with superstition, their religious rites were too obscene to be even so much as named among Christians.

The Jews, also, notwithstanding the oracles of God were committed to them, yet as the true light was revealed to them but in part only, and that, through the medium of types and shadows, which often were mistaken, and with which they had mingled their vain traditions, (their leaders, also, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men,) had but very little knowledge of eternal life. And as they rejected their own Messiah, even Jesus Christ, whom God hath sent, so this blindness in part has happened unto them; and, even to this day, they are by no means in the enjoyment of that life which is eternal.

It is evident, also, that even the Christian, while he

If

tabernacles in mortality, enjoys this life, i. e. eternal life, only by faith and hope; for "we walk by faith and not by sight:" and, again," we hope for that which we see not, for what a man secth, why doth he yet hope for it? but if we hope for that which we see not, then we with patience wait for it." The nature of that life, therefore, which we enjoy, which we believe to be eternal, depends wholly on the correctness or incorrectness of our knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. If we can imagine a principle in God, or in Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent, incompatible with infinite and divine love to the chief of sinners, then we can suppose that we are in the enjoyment of eternal life, although (on account of their not being so good in our estimation as ourselves) we have no love for a great part of the human race. we have discovered a justice in God, or in the law of God, which requires an unmerciful punishment of any of his creatures, then, although we may know that we conduct very unmercifully towards some of our fellow beings, yet we may at the same time vainly imagine we are doing them good justice! And on this ground, no doubt, (or at least it is most charitable to suppose so,) all the cruel and horrid persecutions on account of religion have been, some how or other, justified in the breasts of those who were the authors or instigators of those enormities. Admitting these observations correct, you will see the importance of our subject, if it be nothing more than to save the religious world from a spirit of persecution. I say religious world, because those who make no pretensions to religion will seldom persecute others for being religious. But he who is brought to know God, even that God who is LOVE, and that CHRIST who is the light of the world, will view all mankind, however great may be their errors, as children of one common Parent, and also as brothers and sisters of the same common family; knowing that God made of one blood all nations of men on all the face of the earth; hence, if he says he loves God, while he hateth his brother, he must know that he " is a liar, and the truth is not in him; for if he love not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God.

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