Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-12-16

venticn has sustained The past year, I8
missionaries, who have performed an
amount ofservlce equal TO fourteen wears,
they have preached 6,640 Sermons, ban
.uzed 234 persons, constituted several chur
ehes. and organized many Sabbath
Schools. Several feeble churchs hitherto
assisted, have acquired sufficient strength
Jas 10 be able to assist themselves. The
amount of money received during thepast
| year, is Sl,432. and The expenditures
I5l'75O,-M II. Baptist Register,
An Essay on Christian, Perfection. "a.
" B. ys therefore perfect, sesn as qoar
Father a0bieh IS an heaUem IS perfect
Mat. v. As,
! There are few subjects Of a religious
character on which the minds Of men are
not liable to be carried 10 obvious extremes.
Such indeed is the constitution of the hu-
man mind, that the tendency to extremes.
on matters of belief, is almost UNIVERSAL
fespeclally where d difference of opinion
may happen to prevail. Happy is il,
| therefore, for that man who shall be eaa-
bled, amidst all the dangers to which he
is exposed, to pursue the even tenor of
his way,-to avoid the rugged rocks on
1.-THE one hand, and the threatening quick
| sands on the other, and steer his tolteriag
land TEN pest-tossed bark safely over the
perils Of the deep, and, unscathed aad sun-
| iropeded, shall ultimately reach the peace
| ful harbor, and enter with joy the destined
port. Alas! how many are shipwrecked
and lost by the way!
But on no subject, perhaps, have men
been found to indulge greater extremes
than that Of Christian Perfection, the
theme Of the present Essay. 1t cannot be
lexpected, however, that in treating this
sub Jet we shall enter largely upon the
different views that have been entertained
respecting it, nor that we. should attempt
any very elaborate discussion of the sub
ject itselfin hasty article of this kind.
All that can be attempted is to give
succinct view Of the subject, and correct
thereby some ofthe most palpable errors
which different classes entertain in regard
to it. "
Witsius informs US that the term per-
fiction is used in five different senses in
the Scriptures. And according to him
they may be thus enumerated /. A
perfection of sincerity. 2. A perfection
of parts. 5. A comparative perfection.
4. evGngeIicaI perfection. 5. A perfec-
ton OF degree. This last is defined to
be that by which person performs all
the commands Of Coo, with the full exer
ton of all his powers without the least de-
feet; and is supposed to be what is re-
quired in the passage before US.
In the further consideration of the sub.
] ject, let US enquire
| |. WHAT Is MEANT By CHRISTIAN
PERFECTION?
Ii. Is 1T ATTAINABLE and
III. Do ANY ACTUALLY ATTAIN IT2
L. WHAT IS MEANT BY CHRISTIAN
| PERFECTION?
1t is proper to remark, here, that the
subject is not understood to require the
same natural perfection which God pos
sesses; nor perfection 10 hnOtOEedgc; not
entire freedom from temptation; nor even
the same moral perfection which distiH-
guishes the Deity. But it is supposed to
demand implicit obedience TO the law of
God as a rule OF the Christians life 1t
requires supreme and uninterrupted at
tachment to God, and pure, disinterested,
and impartial beney0lence 10 men. Grin
the language Of another, :" II requires that
we should be ac!uated by the same feel
ing, and act on the same principles that
God acts upon; to leave self out of the
question as uniforaly as he does; to be
as much separated from sel6shness as be
is, in word. 10 be IN our measure as
perfect as God is. Christianity requires
that we should do nothing more nor less
than the IawsofGod preScribes. Nothing
short of this is Christian Perfection. This
is being morally just as perfect as God.
Every thing is here included, to feel as he
i feels, to love as be loves, and hate Khat
he hates, and for the same reason that he
! loves and hates. - -..-
! 1t is most unqueztionably mistaken
idea to suppose that less is required of US
under the Gospel, than was required un:
der the law. The Gospel, it is trae, does
not require perfection as q condition Of
salvation. If it did, we might we'll sit
down in despair. But. at the same tine.
il ough: to be distinctly understood, thar
no part Of the moral law is abrogated by
the Gospel. It's still a perfect rule of
action to believers The Gospel requires
The same holiness as the law. To be
perfect, then. IN the sense of the passage
before US, Is, TO possess a perfectly o5edient
. heart; TO pct on the Lord Jesus Christ
j fully to initiate his imi.able PROJECTIONS
: and 10 be entirely conformed TO the like
hess Of his blessed Image. Oae who
5 would be perfect. therefore. must cultivate
!. the moral affections to the utmost. He
: must be cruci6ed 10 the world, and Tue
: world must be crucifed 10 him. He