The New York herald., 1851-08-05

Iatien a. Pastor.
Sunday being the forty-6rst anniversary Eof the
installation OF Rev. DIR. Spring, as pastor of the
congregation assemblingin the brick church, the
venerable divine preached sermon appropriate to-
the occasion. He took his text from Psalms li9.
verse S9-"F ever, o Lord, thy word il settled
in heaven" He said bis subject was the immuta.
bility of Gods truth. There had been past revo-
buttons, and these were but faint mirrors of future
revolutions; but Gods truth never changed, and
instead of accommodating itself to the world, the
world was coming slowly to it. 1t had passed
through all kinds Of trials, and been assailed with
every kind OF weapon; at one time by inhdelity
and rationasm, then by science, and now by inter-
probation; fanaticism had ragged, and the bloody
sword had been unsheathed to extinguish the truth
its existence had been perilled by wrangling in
cism but amidst all the variety of jargon and
nonsense that prevailed, the truth remained
unchanged, for it was settled in heaven
Error is natural to man, and has appeared under
rather than light, because his deeds are evil. Mans
belief in truth does not make it true, does his
unbelief mako it false. 1t true before any man
believed it.: Truth is not charmed with one thing
to- day, and another thing tomorrow. 1t is not like
the tranquil lake, and then like the turbulent ocean.
ever agtated and in a state of unrest, upon whose
troubled billows men are tossed to and fro, ever
the character % Of error. L is not so With truth %
Time does not alter its nature nor successive gene-
rations witness any change in its facts principles
But how is it that truth does not change! BecauaD
it is the daguerreotype likeness of the realities in
Gods own mind. 1T is not more less rich or
vivid at one time than another Facts and realities
would cease to be if truth were changed. Ii truth
were altered it would cease to be truth at all No
matter, therefore, with what acumen it may be as
sailed it has principles and facts which alter,
charms and beauties that never fade. Truth is not
immutablc because it emanates from God, for he
has ms
burnt up, and tho armament will be rolled up like q
scroll, but God is the same. and his truth does
not change. 1t cannot change unless himself
excellence, his justice, and his power, must alI
loves he always loves; and what he once hates ho
thing to regret, nothing to modify that he has
taught. Men are liable to change every hour; but
His truth lies deeper than the discoveries of human
reason It is the high perception Of the infinite, and
are above the earth, so high is Gods truth above
the thoughts of men. 1t may be seen from diffe-
rent points Of view, but like the rays Of the sum
viewed through different media, refracted and re-
fected, but still convergiDg to the same point it
centres in God, the fountain Of light and ch snges
not. Though We are feeble creatures born to sick
ness and death, there is thought within US Of i'm
mortality, and it is sometimes fraught with agony,
and sometimes with joy unspeakaolc and full Of
glory The comprehensive system of the gospel is
adapted to ALTO the presumptuous and those i'm
age and cline. Ii must be, therefore, unchange.
able. To the Jew and the Gentle, to confessors
and martyrs to the learned and the ignorant, it is
same truth, enduring the seventies Of every zone,
and surviving the desolation of empires
1t is necessary that the truth should be immuta-
BILE in order to secure the confidence Of those to
whom it is addressed. Man is tossed about, and
can find no rest for his weary head, till he reposes
it on the bosom of God. Truth is like the refresh
ing breeze from the ocean over the parched desert.
like the breath Of morn over the fiery contentious Of
some battle field. Has the God Of love denied this
truth to man, or has he not given it to him as q
light to his feet and lamp to his path
Such is the immutability Of Gods truth; impor-
tant in ITSELF but not less important for the deduc-
manence Of the Christian church, which, amidst all
the phases of error is still in substantial conformity
to the truth. From Paul to Augustine, and from
Augustine to Luther, and from Luther to Edward.
the truth has been preserved by the church, and it
has preserved her On this rock Jesus Christ built
his church, and the gates of hell shall never prevail
against it. Gods truth invests her with conser~
vatve character; and if there is nothing so stable
among the institutions of men as the Christian
church, it is because nothing il so stable as tha
Christian faith. Responsive to the divine orecle, it
is upheld against the combined assaults Of earth aud
he'll. The primitive church was surrounded by men,
flearnipg and ability, who labored to seduce the
outhful spouse of Christ from her fidelity;
but they failed, and thelshurch is still true to her
Head. There are not few who think, or pre-
end they have made new discoveries in the mines
knowledge, and have opened new field OF in
quiry, by which new truths and new principles may
be arrived at But religious truth is not scientific
discovery, but divine revelation. Iii not accessible
human science; it is far above it. The immuta-
bility, moreover, Of Gods truth leaves nothing new
for mans discovery. All that can be discovered s
the illustration and application of the truth already
revealed. The inference from this is no. fair that
we restrict the inquiry after truth, but only that We
restrict its The deeper dive into it, the
richer lthe pearls shall fud; but it mast never
be forgotten, that the last line is already written.
God hiss prescribed the bounds of our nvestig alton
and our hope. What said to be new disco
veries are only revelations Tho past history Of
the church shows that every innovation upon tho
faith once delivered TO the saints, is fruitful
OF evil, and has contributed to keep up perpetual
agitation. new religion Is a new absurdity. The
truth was never better understood, and never will
be in this world, than it by the apostles; and
the further we are from theni, the further We arc
from the truth as il is in Jesus. But though truth
is one and the same, 1t is not without variety IL Is
string that vibrates to ten thousand rich harmo-
mics. The more variety with the gospel and the
less variety withouti the better. The true gospel
Is rich gospel.
Lastly, the Scriptures represent the state of man
in the future ne unalerable. The character Of the
righteous consists in their conformity to Gods
truth. Once they were host dc to it, but now they
prize 1t as the jewel OF their souls and are ready to
endure prosecutions and make sacrifices for its sake.
If the foundations of truth could be ost'ed out Of
their place ,geod men, ,ofa Others most to be COM
miserated. What sustains the Christian amidst all
tht changes of this world is, that though lie shil
see the stars grow pale, and the sun turned into
darkness, there is region beyond where the Sun Of
righteousness shall rcvolve for ever and ever. On
the other hand those who carry with them into tho
future state hostility to Gods truth, will have tho
same 70 contend with for ever; with this difference,
that is vibrations will be keen aad its splen-
dor overwhelming. Their hostility will be per-
retual, and their suffering Commensurate. This
arises not merely from Gods justice, but from tho
rreconcilable hostility between them and the truth
II Is the nmutability of truth and its quenchless
name tha, will constitute their torment. 1t
is the naked soul coming in contac, with tho
raked truth, in all its power and terrible energy
In conclusion, we may well see how great Is tho
responsibility Of the Christian This day closes tho
list year OF my ministry, aud in grateful commence
ration to my adorable master, have this to adj to
the record, that while death has done his work all
around, am still spared. Yet we must lay out
our account for the last conflict, and il is to little
purpose that we enjoy those Christian privileges IL
We cannot anticipate our dissolution without dis