New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-03-13

faithful exercise OF that capacity would have pre-
served him. Even now it will bring him back to
favor. VIVA. IS that faith IL Is simple belief IN
God aye believe in God, believe also in me-
Perhaps il may be new idea % some of you
when told that oar first parents fell through radi-
cal inhdety. They became intdels before they
fell. That whitening b ight came over them hiding
them, like a murky vapOr, 20 their dull eppreben-
sion, from the all-seeing eye Of God. Like a
murray vapO- II has settled upon their posterlty,
binding their eyes, Obscuring their moral vision,
and causing them TO think themselves concealed
from the notice Of the God who made them. IN
belief was the foul seed Unbelief terminated
and grew into a vide spreading tree and where
ever II has spread its branches 1t has shed de
structye moral contagion. You viii call n mind
that our first parents were acmOnishcd. They
were told that if they were involved in certain
transgressions they should surely die. They had
the word OF God for II and oh had they but be-
lIeved in God, they would have stood ste adiast
All the powers OF hell could not have prevailed
against them. Simple faith IN God. simple belief
devoutly exercised, was a shelter and perfect
security against every snare. 30 they fOuuI u,
Dr when they were asssiled by temptations. they
resisted while they believed. The suggestion
that the tree before them was one 70 be de-
sired could have 10 effect while they contin-
ued TO place reliance upon Gods assurance,
that IN the day they should eat thereof they should
surely die. Satan knew that He knew that
unless he could wrest from them this armor
he could not prevail against them and that they
would continue 20 maintain their high character,
their lofty dignity, which he could by 10 means
assall and therefore his first effort was, 10 entice
them, by their own consent, TO throw away their
faith He told them that they should not surely
die that they should become Gods, knowing
good and evil. Here doubts arose, from doubts
sprang up unbehef They disbelieved the word
Of God they lost their confidence IN Gods We
racity
Bot bear in mind, my dear friends, that their
unbelief did not alter Gods truth. That stood
out in Interchangeable relief aud though they were
nfdel, they were ttill involved in the damnng
curse. Prompted by temptation, they transgress
ed, they fell and when they fell, forever precpI
tatcd from their heads, the crown passed away
They could not regain 1t. Though immortal be-
ings still, they possessed no moral qualifications
that could recommend them TO that great pure
and holy Being whom they had offended and re-
belled against, who is God over all blessed for
ever, amen - that Being who has righteousness
truth aud purity as his ow n essential nature.
But that same Being who has infinite mercy,
compassion, love and goodness, AS wei as justice,
righteousness and truth, because he IS INFINITELY
wise, infinitely understanding, and almighty, has
has been pleased TO open door OF escape Tor hls
ia len creatures, TO devise a means oil rccOncilla
ton by which man might again regain that hight
OF moral and religious dignity from which he has
fallen, and en- Joy the presence OF God and THIS he
mas uOne Dy the gHt Ol tlldt lOuo
has said, Believe also IN me.
And now We can hardly avert by any subter-
fuge the convctonof the existence OF great FIRST
Cause. The inspired hand asserts that " The TOOL
saith in his heart there is no God much as to
say that no man who can make or act upon such
presumption is worthy TO be considered as pos
sessed OF ordinary WISDOM or 10 be IN the exercise
of right reason Wherever we cast our eyes
abroad upon the works of God, there we behold
the evidences OF his supernal finger. When We
survey they heavens above US, where he has
thrown forth worlds after worlds, where he has
measured out system after system, and organized
every one by laws which regulate and chain them
to their courses, while he builds them all by the
word OF his power; whether we turn to the
mines beneath feet, or investigate the smallest
particle of matter, we trace the same matchless
scale, the same evidences Oh design, the same
proof of the existence OF designer God is there
tore by undcniable arguments, proved 10 the mind
OF man TO be intelligent as well infinite IN pow
er. When we cast our eyes upon the shining
stars above Us when we contemplate the immen-
sity of the works OF God, we arealmost lnvoiunta-
rily led to exclaim, with the Psaimist,
,When consider thy heavens, the work OF thy nm
gers the moon and the stars which thou has ordained
,XVhat 10 map that thou mindful OF him and tue
son of man that thou yisitest him r.
We are almost ready 10 lose ourselves In tue
conclusion that such Unite beings as we are can
hardly be regarded by such Being but then the
most exact philosophical research, as well AS rev.
elation goes TO show that man is an object OF
Gods special care. His wonderful structure, and
his still more wonderful and lncomprehensible
mind prove this. 1t is proved also by what we
see of Gods providence Indeed, 1t is certain that
nothing can exist without Gods experimenting
care Not a sparrow falls to the ground that he
does not notice not a hair OF your heads which is
not numbered by him so that according 10 the
declaration of the apostle, For the invisible
things OF him from the creation OF the world are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, even his eternal power and Godhead,
so that they are without excuse
Sound reason, philosophical inquiry ana the
flights of the astronomers over heavens empyrlan
vault testify to the fact that Gods providence IS
all pervasive, that God Is, and that he rules The
Universe. We are persuaded OF 1t. We believe
1t, we cannot doubt 1t.
that the Bible speaks Of who came into the worio
ia the form of servant, lived a life OF pain and
suffering went up and down In Jewry, preaching
the gospel and displaying traits OF kindness TO-
ward men, is an object for the exercise oil our
faith. or worship. While we cannot do other
wise than believe In God, why shonld We be
called on to believe in Christ What clam has
he for such dedication on our part toward him
We have already glanced slightly at man
fallen condition and | doubt not that we al be
heve that there has moral change come over the
moral nature OF man, since his creation we can
hardly set about MAKING Ourselves utHc'S Nhe'
man is as he was that he is now what he was
when he came from the hand OF his Maker-w hen
he issued forth, the creature OF perfect purity
righteousness, truth, and OF perfect knowledge
and wisdom. Everything that we behold around
US man excepted leads us 70 believe that the
works of Jehovah are harmonious. Not so man
There is a marked disturbance there. There is
lar. a manifest breach there is striking radical
deep rooted imperiecton. The most dignlhed
the most exalted of Gods creatures here below,
are the most inconsistent: those most capable OF
great destiny are the most degraded, and some
times more beast-like than the beasts that perish
Well, we must refer this consequence to the
cause thar we have limited at; that cause which IS
clearly defined in the sacred scriptures, by the
fall OF man. =" And so death hath passed upon al
men" Now conceive the literal meaning OF TINS
death is moral and religious alienation from God
present separation involving future and eternal
punishment or suffering for SIS an immortal crea-
ture he can never die.
But God is infinitely good and mereiiul, and
He looked and saw that there
was no intercessor, aud he deputed one from him.
self. This he did when he gave his own dear son
IN he our Saviour. And who is his son Again the
record which Gods word has given us comes u