Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-02-15
VOL. TX. mo, 81.

will be their God, and they shall be my
people" -. .,e..5>, 80. =
III. will give some specimens fthese
two classes, by way of illustration =
The first example | shall give is that
Of the apostle Paul, as he has recorded il
! in the 9TH of Romans, where he exhibits
the struggle to obey the law. under the In
huence of law alone. [HersMr. Finney
proceeded. at considera bic length, to COM.
ment on the 7th chapter of Romans, but
as he has since concluded to give seEa-
rate lecture on that subject, these. remarks
are omitted here. He showed how Paul
. had struggled, and labored, under the mo-
tives of law, until he absolutely despaired
of help from that quarter; and how, when
the gospel was brought to view, the chain
was broken, and he found it easy to obey.
! He then proceededl I.
You may see the same ia the expert
ence of almost any convicted sinner, after
he has become trul Y converted. He was
convicted, the law was brought home to
his mind, he struggled TO fulfil the law, he
was in agony, and then he was filled with
jov and glory. Why2 He was agoniz.
ed under the law, he had no rest and no
satisfaction he tried to please God by keep,
ing the law, he went about in pain all the
day, he read the Bible, he tried to pray
but the Spirit of God was upon him, show
ing him his sins, and be had no relief
The more he attempts to help himselfthe
deeper he sinks in despair. All the while,
his heart is cold and selfish. But now
let another princi pie be Introduced, and let
himsbe influenced by love to God. The
same Holy Spirit is upon him, showing him
the same sins that grieyed and distressed
him so before. But now he goes on his
] knees, his tears flow like water as he con-
! fesses his guilt, and his heart melts in joy
! full relenting, such as cannot be described,
but easily understood by, them that have
felt it. Now he engages in performing
the same duties that he tried before. Butt.
O, how changed! The Spirit Of God has
broken his chains, and now he loves God
and is filled with joy and peace,i in believ-..
ing. -.
The same thing is seen in many pro- =,
fessors of religion, who find religion-a
painful thing, They have much convic-
! ton, and perhaps much Of what they call
religion, but their minds are chiefly filed
with doubts and fears, doubts and fears, all
the time By-and-by, perhaps, that same
! professor will come out, all at once, d1-
ferent character. His religion now is not
all complaints and signs, but the love of =
God fills his heart. and be goes cheerful
lysand happily 10 his duty; and his soul ;
is so light and happy in God, that he floats
in an ocean of love and JOY, and the peace
that fills him is like river.
Here, then, is the difference between
the slavery of law and the liberty of the =.
gospel. The liberty of the gospel does
not consist in being freed from doing what
the law requires. but in mans being in
such state of mind that doing it is itself
a pleasure, instead of burden What is
the difference between slavery and free
dom ? The slave serves because he is
obliged 10 do so, the freeman serves from
choice. The man who is under the bond
age of law does duty because conscience
thunders in his ears if he does not obey,
and he hopes to 60 to heaven if he does.
The man who is in the liberty of the Cos
pei does the same things because he loves
to do them. One is influenced by selfish
ness, the other by disinterested benevo-
! lence.
REMARKS. I. You can easily see,
that if we believe the words and actions of
most professors of religion, they have
made mistake; and that they have the
religion of law, and not gospel religion
They are not constrained by the owe of
! Christ, but moved by hopes anddeats, and I.
by the commandments of God. They,
bo f., fhor to
! be convicted sinners Within the last
| year, have seen so many conversions OF
professors of religion, that ] an led 10
fear that great multitudes in the church
are vet under the law; and although they
profess to depend on Christ for salvation.
their faith is not that which works by
| love.
II. Some persons are all faith, without
works. These are Antinomians. Others
are all works and no faith. These are
Legafists. In all ages of the church, men
have inclined first to one of these extremes,
| and then over to the other Sometimes
they are settled down on their lees. pre-
tending to be all faith, and waiting Gods
time. Then they get reused up and dash
on IN works, without regard to the mo-
tive from, which they act.
III. You see the true character Of those
ofessors~ofreligion who are forever cry =
ing out !" Legality" as soon as they are
pressed up TO holiness. When first be-
gan to preach, found this spirit IN many
places; so that the moment Christians
were urged up to duty, the cry would.
rise, This is legal preaching. do preach
the gospel; salvation is by faith, not by
duty you oughlto comfort the saints, not
to distress them. All this was nothing
hut rank Antinomianism. - y