The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1845-02-06

applied passages Of scripture. Bus %
long as This expression. . without holi- /
neFs 70 man shall see he Tor" remalns
q pan AZ Gods TOW. ~ long xill the hope
az lhOse Win are not holy be unreasona-
he. Ard this viii he eiernally; Err he
. Word Of The Lord endnrelh FOREVER"
Ist Pet. i. IS. Some found their hopes
Of heaven on their previous good works.
and suppose because they have once oh
tanned the forgiveness Of iheir Fins. they
arc sure OF hearen. But where Is tie
promise az this! The promise is 70 these
] who eonlirae in well doing, % thcee who
J continue faithful ua.il death. For 10
had been better Cor them not 10 have
known The way OF righteousness, than ai-
Ter hey had known il, n turn from the
holy commandment delivered unto them"
Isl Pet. ii. n, also Heb. vi. Z, 10, 81.
Some place their hopes n heaven on LET
| John i. 2: . And &c any iran sin se have
. an advocate with The Father. Jesus Christ
the righteous" and suppose God viii
overlook their sins, on account OF the ad-
rocary Of Christ. independent Of their rc-
!, poniance. Bot where is tie promise Of
! this! The promise is, aifwe confess our
| sins, he is faithful and just 10 forgive rs
; our sins, and cleanse US from all unrigh-
ieousncss." let John j. 0. And on no
: other condition, is The insercession Of
: Christ Of any avail to Us. They ground
E their hopes OF heaven on Ibis expression
: in Mark xvi. Is: .He that belicveth and
3 is baptized shall be saved" And on This
4 in Romans X. o: /" But il thon shalt con-
/, fess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
a shalt believe in thy heart that God rsisetl
him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. "
But those passages probably only promise
a present salvation from sins past, .r i
this is not the only thing promised, the
faith mentioned includes the necessary
works to ensure heaven: "for faith with
to out works is dead" James u. 20. So
C that bare assent to the truth Of the Bi
bic docs not give a reasonable hope o
4. heaven, nor does forgiveness Of formel
!. sins ensure eternal happiness, without 1
. continuance in well doing. -
o Some found their hopes Of heaven OF
= their works Of charity and mercy: as feed
~ ~ ing the hungry, clothing the naked, visit.
oi ing the sick, &c. Witch is inferred from
y Matthew NV. where the judge is repre-.
y scented as giving the kingdom TO those who
VI had exercised these works Of mercy. Blu
: jtSs sYitteSas SAea sheae passsgfaia are IA
III works Of charity and mercy arc not In
a only qualifications which these persons
us were TO have, for they are called righie
N; Gus, which implies that they bad done TIN
Gu other commands as well as 10 be charita
vi BILE. Except nan be born again n
S. cannot enter into the Kingdom Of heaven
ne John iv. 3. And il is said in Rev. xxi
NJ 81: "There shall nothing enter into tn
ng New jerusalem that defleth or worket
III: abomination." So 10 make these pass;
'ui gcs harmonize, it is certain that thong
er these works of charity and mercy are pa
me ticularly mentioned in the xxVth OF Mat
!. The other commands were attended to, an
re- not left undone. Then, in conclusion
I've there is no promise Of heaven, only
the those who obey the commandments col
i.h tanned in the gospel; for the promise
70 only to those who are holy. Ever
aye man that hath this hope in him, puriilei
Me himself even as he is pure" LIST John II
We 3. All hopes of heaven. based on an
; Is other foundation than the promises
eer- Gcd, are unreasonable. Then only tho'
led' who have been born again, and are liSir
ese in obedience 10 the gospel, can give go'
ops reason of their here of eternal hsppInes
iu-i Those who are living without hope, al
the without God in the world, are rePresei
rim cd in the word of Truth, as being in b
we condition. But certainly they are in
OF worse condition who are decelVing the
nal- selves with false hopes. For they
e., fiat.eriug themselves with the hopes
! nc peace and safety, when the Bible sa
l:eu there is no peace to the wicked. NJ
,iag the Lord help US to examine our hear
hey compare cur actions with the comusat
nay of tho Lord. rectily all our FAULTS lien
en-, shall be always ready 10 give a reason
y. the hope that is in Us with meekness a
fear.