The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-03-11
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
Doctrines versus Duties.

UOcCrlQeS V6Ibuo oueACo'
| 1t is common practice of unregene-
rate men to plead certain doctrines of
the Bible as insuperable objections to-
the performance of certain required du-
ties. 1t is my purpose to mention, and
endeavor to obviate the most common
and plausible of these objections. If
they were not already in the mind OF a
sinner, and operating to his injury, 1t
would be injudicious to suggest them
Men who think at all on the subject OF
religion, will be sure to find difficulties
at which they will stumble, unless the
Holy Ghost in their case prove stronger
than the strong man armed. A little
child three or four years old, once asked
her mother, "If God is SO good and 50
great, why does He let the Devil go about
to deceive and destroy people p
1t is not unusual for an unrenewed
man to say, "How is it possible for me
to use the means of grace in a proper
manner before I am born again? / am
told that works done by the unregenerate
are unacceptable to God; that the sacri
fee of the wicked is an abomination to
him. What use is it for me to read
Gods Word when / am destitute of the
spirit of love, and faith, and obedience,
and cannot discern spiritual things p
What use is it for me to pray when l, an
unbeliever, am told that without faith it
is impossible to please God, and that ne
that cometh to God must believe that
He is rewarder of them that diligently
seek Him. .l.
| Before answering this objection, it may
be remarked that there never was the
case of sinner hindered by this difficult
ty from seeking the Lord, when he was
convinced of his truly lost and undone
condition, unless, being given up by the
Holy Spirit, he is like Judas and damned
spirits, filled with utter and endless des-
pair. You cannot keep sinner who
sees his true condition in the sight of
God, from crying for mercy. This OBJ
lection did not disturb the mind of the
thief on the cross, nor prevent him from
turning his dying eyes to the Saviour
hanging by his side. 1t never troubled
the mind of the heather woman who fell
at Jesus feet and besought him for mer-
cy in behalf of her sick daughter. This
difficulty might have suggested itself to
the mind of Simon, Christ's host on a
certain occasion, but it was not thought
of by the woman which was sinner"
who washed the feet of Jesus with her
tears, and wiped them with the hairs of
her head. They are those who do not
feel their absolute need of such Saviour
as Christ, who are hindered by such diff
fculties from seeking Him.. There was
no time for these objections to suggest
themselves to the mind of Peter, when
he was sinking in the waves of the Tibe-
rian sea. He only thought that he was
perishing, and must soon be beyond the
hope of rescue, and that there was Sa-
viour near at hand. But the perishing
sinner unless convinced of his condition,
will halt at these and similar difficulties
until he is irretrievably lost.
To the man who makes his helplessness
an excuse for not seeking the Lord, rather
than a reason for seeking Him, it may be
said, that divine aid is promised you in
the use of the means of grace; that all
those who have ever turned from the er-
ror of their way, did use the means of
grace ;that every one of them was as
, helpless as you are; and that if these
, difficulties did not prevent their saliva
tion, they need not and ought not to pre-
vent yours. The man who seeks the sal
, vation of his soul, makes use of the sim
pie means God has appointed, in the ex-
: ercise of his free agency. In this respect
, he acts Just as he acts in every thing
else he does, and is utterly unconscious
of any divine power exerted upon his
will and other faculties of his soul, while
| at the same time he is under the influence
of that divine power. Sennacherib,
King of Babylon, was utterly unconsci-
; GUS of any providential dealing of God
with him when he went with mighty
army against Jerusalem. He acted free
: ly. and was accountable to God for his
acts. Yet he was carrying out the pur-
| poses of Jehovah who said, d" / will send
him against hypocritical nation" In
the case of Sennacherib it was mega
q tive influence which God exerted; a
: withholding of good influences; re-
e straining from the extremes of wicked
ness, and preventing of the commission
of other crimes, instead of those which
he did commit. And so with all the
1 wicked acts of wicked men. "The
kings heart is in the hand of the Lord
as the rivers of water; He turneth il
1 whithersoever He will" But in the acts
: of the sinner in seeking the Lord, it is
: positive influence leading and directing
q him althnn.h he 10 annallu nnnonnninns