Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-02-15
RELIGIOUS MISCELLANY.
From the New-York Evangelist.
Finney,s Lectures to Christians.

|
! Text" What shall we say then? That
the Gentiles which followed not after right
eousness, have attained to righteousness,
even the righteousness which is Of faith !;
but Israel, which followed after the law of
! righteousness, hath not attained to the law
of righteousness. Wherefore ? Because
they sought it not by faith, but as it were
| by the works of the law. For they STUN
ten, Behold, lay in Sion a stumbling-stone,
and rock Of offence; and whosoever believ-
eth on him shall not be ashamed. Rom
! tx. 30-33.
In the Epistle to the Romans the apos-
tie pursues a systematic course OF reason
ing, to accomplish particular design
In the beginning Of it, he proves that not
only the Gentiles, but the Jews also. were
in state Of entire depravity and that the
Jews were not, as they vainly imagined,
naturally holy. He then introduces the
Moral Law, and by explaining it shows
that by works Of law no flesh could be
saved. His next topic is Justification by
Faith, in opposition to Justification by
Law. Here will observe, in passing,
that it is my design to make this the sub
iect Of nv next lecture. The next sub
lect with which he begins chap. 6, is to
show that sanctifcation is by faith; or
that all true religion, all the acceptable
obedience there ever was in the world, is
based on faith. In the eighth and ninth
chapters, he introduces the subject of d.
vine sovereignty; and in the last part OF
the ninth chapter, he sums up the whole
matter, and asks, What shall we say,
then ?" What shall we say of all this 3
That the Gentiles, who never thought of
the law, have become pious, and obtained
the holiness which is by faith; but the
Jews, attempting it by the law, have en-
tirel y failed. Wherefore2 Because they
made the fatal mistake of attempting to be-
come pions by obeying the law, and have
always come short, while the Gentiles
have obtained true religion, by faith in
Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is here called
THAT stumbling-stone," because the Jews
were so opposed to him. But whatsoever
believeth in him shall not be confounded.
My design tonight is, to point out as
: distinctly as can, the true distinction be-
, tween the religion of law and the religion
} of faith. shall proceed in the following
, order:
J l. Show in what the distinction does
= not consist.
t g. Show in what it does consist And
, 8. Bring forward some specimens oil
v both, to show more plainly in what they
= differ
D |. Lam to show in what the distinction
t between the religion of law and the, reli-
. gion Of faith does not consist.
5 |. The difference does not lie in the
l. fact, that under the law men were justified
by works, without faith. The method ol
L salvation in both dispensations has been
1 the same. Sinners were always saved by
e faith. The Jewish dispensation pointed te
d Savior to come, and if men were saved
s. at all it was by faith in Christ And sin
s ners now are saved in the same way.
+ 2. Not in the fact that the gospel has
b cancelled or set aside the obligations o.
Il the Moral Law. 1t is true, it has set aside
the claims Of the ceremonial law, or law
I Of Moses. The ceremonial law was no
y thing but a set of types pointing to the
e Savior, and was set aside, of course, wher
e the great ante,type appeared. 1t is nov
u generally admitted by all believers, tina
a the gospelhas not set aside the moral law
e But that doctrine has been maintained il
E. different ages ofthe church. Many have
d maintained that the gospel has set aside
IS the moral law. so that believers are unde
Re no obligation to obey it. Such was TIT
l.. doctrine Of the Nicolaitans. so seyerel!
$ Reproduced by Christ The Antinomians
re- in the days Of the apostles and since, be
n lieyed that they were without any obhga
s, ten to1obey hemoral law; and held tina
ID Christs righteousness wasss imputed .
n believers. and that he had so fulfilled tn
is law Tor them, that they were under no OF
nd LEGATION to obey II themselves. 80