The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-04-16
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
AFTER BREAKFAST NOTES.
Matt iii: $40.
BY REV H. H. HALVES.
No. 4.

John the Baptist said to Phsrisees and
Sadducees, who came to his baptism 90
generation Of viperS, who hath warned you
to fee from the wrath to come? Bring forth
therefore fruits meet for repentance"
Nothing is more natural than that these
"leaders of the people should wish TO do
what was popular among the people. All
the people were being bspsised. IL was the
popular move Of the day. And what, beyond
this, induced Pnsrisees and Sadducees to
come to Johns baptism? Nothing. Their
after conduct shows that they had no sin.
,cerity. Pharisees,-slwsys exceeding strict
.kou,ward forms,-esroe 70 observe this form
others we're doing. Sadducees,-
!; he doctrines of Chriss,-did not come to
ge allegiance to Him. With no good
81 ives-with hearts full of venom and p>i-
they were no better than Vipsrs
hich would sting the very bosom that offer
them warmth aud lifs But We see how
kan spoke to them. He had no "honeyed-
I'd" for sin. He taught the doctrine
ich every minister should as fesrlessly
plainly teach, that OUTWARD obserVancs
Worms and ordinances are not salvation.
Ople need to know this, and to have it
# H yssed upon them. Too many rest their
5pes upon being baptized, and psrtaking of
the Lords Supper. Because they observe
\ these ordinances, they feel safe. But Gods
demand goes beyond sll outward rites. The
oath of allegiance is mcckery, if he who
takes it proves 8 traitor in bis acts. %.
seryanee of the ordinances of God is, in one
sense, only declaration of allegiance to
Hin. What this declaration is worth, the
actions must show. Therefore the demand
So live and act as to show that your profes-
sion is q reslity-thst you mean what you
profess. There is such thing as having a
name to live, while he who has the name is
really dead in trespasses and sins. A deeper
,dsmustiou awaits him who accepts the form
of Gods service, and denies the substance.
s'Thiuk not to say within yourselves, We
have Abraham to our father" Christ tells
US Of one in perditiOn calling Abraham, faith
or, across the great fixed gulf! Better to
make no profession, than to do it without
sincerity. "The axe is laid unto the root
of the trees" It ViU not fail to cat because
a tree bears a good name : The fruit must
be there If this be wanting, all beauty OF
foliage and symmetry of form will not avail.
- Thus we need to look deeper than our pro-
Fession, and our precise conformity to out
ward requirements. Yet let none be dis
B coursped, nor draw back, because fGA
fruitsge is not yet found. Even one bearing
svia will give hope that there is the life Of
fruis in the otherwise barren tree. Ter
righteous persons would have saved Sodou
and Gouorrah. So mereiful and patient Ii
our God. But the "teu" we're not to b
fonnd. The cities had in them none right
sous. This was their condemnation. So th'
/ tree which brings forth no fruit that is good
unst and will be burned. Here are God
illustrations. Tney bring serious lessons Il
ms. It is written, "faith without works
Aead" So if We have nothing bat the oute
& Isms Of profession, there is no life in US
bere must be that in body and spirit Whicl
4 make US do tie Oork of those who belOnl
themselves, bat to the Lord, Christ
* Au do perfect work, nor give per
On every tree, there is som
y \, though it be a good tree. s
there must be some good t
||' # OOd life is in US. And Wha
3 about al this Then Go
as Shous US. John told hi
81 Il able of these stones (scst
f's bsnks) to raise up chi