Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-01-25


TO ptoht by the discourse, you must re-
solve TO make faithful Application Of it
to yourselves-just as EoLest as if you
thong hit you were now going 10 the solemn
judgment. If you will do this, | may
hope to be able 10 lead you TO discover
your true state and if you are now de-
ceived, direct you in the true path TO SAL
'ation. If you will not do this, | shall
preach in vain, and you will hear i'll vain.
design to show the difference between
true and false conversion, and shall take
up the subject in the following order:
l. Show that the natural state of man
is state Of pure selfshness.
Z. Show that the character of the con-
verted is that of benevolence.
/ 9. That the New Birth consists in a
change from sel6shness to benevoIence
4. Point out some things wherein saints
and Sinners or true and spurious converts,
may agree, and some things in which
they differ. And,
s. Answer some objections that may
be offered against the view | have taken,
and conclude with some remarks
|. lam TO show that the natural state Of
man. or that in which all men are found
before conversion, IS pure, unmlngled
selhshness.
BY which | mean, that they have no
gospel benevolence. SeIfshness is le-
garding ones own happiness supremely,
aud seeking ones own good because it is
his own. He Who is selfish places his
own happiness above other interests of
greater value; such as the glory of God
and the good of the universe. That man.
kind, before conversion, are In this state,
is evident from many considerations.
Every man knows that all other men
are selfish. Ali the dealings of mankind
are conducted on this principle. If any
man ovrrooks this, and undertakes 10 deal
with mankind as if they were not selfish,
but were disinterested, he would be
thong ht deranged
H. In a converted state, the character
is that of benevoIcnce An individual
who is converted, is benevolent, and not
supreme! y selfish. B,neN olence is loving
the happiness OF others. or rather, choosing
the happiness of others. BenevoIence is
Il compound word, that properly signifies
good willing, or choosing the happiness
Of others. This is Gods state of mind
We are told that God is love; that is, he
is essentially benevolent. An individual
who IS converted is in this respect like
God. | do not mean TO be understood,
that none are converted, unless they are
pure y and perfectly benevolent, as God u.s.
| But that the balance of his mind, his pre-
vaiing choice is benevolent He sincere.
! " seeks the good Of others, for its own
sake. And by disinterested benevoIence
| do not mean, that person who is dis
interested feels no interest in his object of
pursuit, but that he seeks the happiness of
others for it's own sake, and no; for the
sake of its reaction on himself, in promo
ting his own happiness. He chooses to
do good because he rejoices in the hap
piness Of others. and desires their happi-
! ness for its own sake God is purely and
dis;nterestedIy benevolent tle does not
make his creatures happy for the sake Of
thereby promoting his own happiness. but
because he lows their happiness and
chooses it for its own sake. Not that he
does not feel h'ppy in promoting the hap
piness Of his creatures, but tina: he does
not do it for the sake Of his own gratitica-
ton. The man who is disinterested feels
happy in doing good. Otherwise doing
cool itself would not make him happy.
Benevolence is holiness 1t is what
the Law OF God rtquires: Thou shalt !
love the Lord Thy God, with ali thy heart
and soul and strength, and thy neighbor
us myself" Just as certainl y as the con-
verified man yields obt dience TO the law OF
God, and just es certainly as he is like /
God, he is benevolent. 1t is the leading
feature Of his character, that he is seeking
the happiness of others, and not his own
happiness, as his supreme good.
Ill. That true conversion is a change
from a state OF supreme sel6shness to be- =,
nevoIence l.,
1t is change in the end Of his pursuit.
and not a mere change in the means OF
attaining the end. 1t is not true that the
| converted and the nnconverted differ only
in the means they use, while both are ann
ing at the same end. 1t is not true that
Gabriel and Satan are pursuing the same
end, and both alike aiming al their own
happiness, only pursuing different way.
Gabriel does not obey God for the sake of
promoting his own happiness A man
may change his means, and yet hare the
same end, his own happiness. He may
do good for the sake of the temporal bene-
fit, He may not beIieve in religion, or in
any eternity, and yet may see that doing
good will be for his advantage in this
world. Suppose then that his eyes are
opened and he sees the reality of eternity.
Now. every one can see that there IS no
virtue in this 1t is the design that gives
character TO the act, not the means en- .
pioyed to effect the design. The true and
the false convert diffrr In this The true